Climate change, climate migrants and refugees: Globally, the issues of climate refugees, is ever increasing. Millions are forced to leave their home as a result of the warming temperatures they did little to cause. At the end of 2021 around 89.3 million people were forcibly displaced across the world. Of these, 27.1 million were refugees, whilst 53.2 million were internally displaced within their country of origin. 72% of the world’s refugees are living in countries neighbouring their country of origin, often in the global south.
COP27 has now been concluded, with varying degrees of ambition. COP is shorthand for the annual Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). One positive outcome is the commitment to a funding mechanism to compensate vulnerable nations for ‘loss and damage’ from climate induced disasters.
According to UN Secretary-General António Guterres: "This COP has taken an important step towards justice. I welcome the decision to establish a loss and damage fund and to operationalize it in the coming period", underscoring that the voices of those on frontlines of the climate crisis must be heard.
Yet, while agreement on these issues was seen as a welcome step in the right direction, there is concern amongst activists over the lack of commitments to phase out fossil fuels.
Climate refugees or climate migrants do not have the same status as refugees fleeing from persecution. The International Organization for Migration states that "climate migration is the movement of a person or groups of persons who, predominantly for reasons of sudden or progressive change in the environment due to climate change, are obliged to leave their habitual place of residence, or choose to do so, either temporarily or permanently, within a state or across an international border". Environmental migrants are not covered by the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which is designed to protect those fleeing persecution, war or violence.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres summarises: "Climate change [is] now found to be the key factor accelerating all other drivers of forced displacement. These persons are not truly migrants, in the sense that they did not move voluntarily. As forcibly displaced not covered by the refugee protection regime, they find themselves in a legal void."
We are currently working with several international organisations, supporting the impact of progressive change in the environment due to climate change and forced migration, including Self Help Africa/United Purpose and the Irish Emergency Alliance.
We are also supporting Refugee Action, a UK based organisation that enables refugees coming to the UK to seek sanctuary from persecution. The UK is home to approx. 1% of the 27.1 million refugees who were forcibly displaced across the world. The definition of a refugee according to The 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees is: “someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion.”
At Refugee Action, their current work includes shifting power towards people with lived experience as part of their commitment to anti-racism. The Experts by Experience (EBE) steering group was established in 2020 with Jonathan Kazembe as the Manager and Mercy Darlingon and Steven Shyaka, as the Chair and Vice Chair respectively. This week, through our own commitment to support the role of Experts by Experience, we facilitated a two-day session on Teamworking and Governance, using our 5Ms of Governance model. Please see a picture below of the group partaking in a teambuilding exercise.
Jonathan said of the training: "I would like to say a massive thank you to Caplor Horizons for supporting the Refugee Action Expert by experience group with the team building and Governance trainings. I am pretty sure that the skills and knowledge acquired from the training will provide the group with the necessary tools to build their confidence to influence more and more Refugee Action’s plans".
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women marked the launch of the UNiTE campaign (Nov 25- Dec 10): an initiative of 16 days of activism concluding on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day (10 December). Five years ago, the #MeToo movement, founded by activist Tarana Burke in 2006, exploded and sparked global mobilisation creating a moment of urgency in preventing and responding to violence against women and girls. Since then, unprecedented awareness and momentum have been created thanks to the relentless work of grassroots activists, women’s human rights defenders and survivor advocates worldwide to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.
Supporting and investing in strong, autonomous women’s rights organisations and feminist movements is key to ending violence against women and girls. This campaign, led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women since 2008, aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls around the world, calling for global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions. To find out more, follow this link UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls, and check out what some of our partners are doing: Ella's, International Presentation Association.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the color orange is used to represent a brighter future, free from violence against women and girls. PHOTO: UN Women
Please nominate Caplor Horizons in the 12 Days of Giving initiative: This funding initiative provides the opportunity for 120 charities to receive £1,000. By clicking this link and nominating us, you will give us the opportunity of winning £1,000 to support our work. The giving starts on 1st December and finishes on 12th December so you don't have long!
Changemaker of the week:
Quote of the week: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ― Mother Teresa
Best wishes
Lorna, Rosie, Ian, Iain and Kemal