Research Paper

Group 2: South America

Country of study: Venezuela

Research Project

Topic of interest (research topic): The forced migration of millions of immigrants who seek for asylum

Countries being compared: Venezuela vs. Syria

Abstract:

It has been over four years now since the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis began, forcing more than 5.3 million of Venezuelans to leave the country, about sixteen percent of the country’s population. We can compare these numbers which are strikingly similar to the 4.8 million of Syrian immigrants who left their home by 2015. Similar to Venezuela, it has been over four years into the massive forced displacement crisis there as well. Both Venezuelans and Syrians take up the greatest numbers of asylum seekers around the globe. However, unlike most refugee crises, the Venezuelan one is not a result of a conflict related to war, but instead, to the conditions that most Venezuelans face daily which are not much different than those in an active war zone. Although both situations are different, ultimately people being affected are facing a denial of basic human rights in their homelands, therefore, being forced or compelled to leave their homes.

Key terms of research topic retrieved from the IOM Glossary on Migration:

Immigrant

From the perspective of the country of arrival, a person who moves into a country other than that of his or her nationality or usual residence, so that the country of destination e

Forced migration

A migratory movement which, although the drivers can be diverse, involves force, compulsion, or coercion.

Asylum seeker

An individual who is seeking international protection. In countries with individualized procedures, an asylum seeker is someone whose claim has not yet been finally decided on by the country in which he or she has submitted it. Not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognized as a refuge

http://www.mixedmigration.org/articles/forced-to-leave-comparing-destination-options-of-venezuelans-and-syrians/

References:

Glossary on Migration (2019). International Organization for Migration. https://www.iom.int/glossary-migration-2019.

Forced to leave: Comparing destination options of Venezuelans and Syrians. Mixed Migration Centre. (2020). http://www.mixedmigration.org/articles/forced-to-leave-comparing-destination-options-of-venezuelans-and-syrians/.

Bahar, D., & Dooley, M. (2019). Venezuela refugee crisis to become the largest and most underfunded in modern history. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2019/12/09/venezuela-refugee-crisis-to-become-the-largest-and-most-underfunded-in-modern-history/.

UN High Commissioner for Refugees. (2020). UNHCR - Global Trends 2019: Forced Displacement in 2019. UNHCR Global Trends 2019. https://www.unhcr.org/globaltrends2019/.