Syria Refugee Crisis: Policy, Ethics, and Resettlement
This paper analyzes the Syrian refugee crisis through several interconnected lenses: U.S. and international resettlement policy, best professional practices for newly arrived refugees, the need for psychosocial and culturally competent interventions, ethical obligations of host nations, and policy recommendations. Drawing on sources from the UN, UNFPA, and policy research institutions, the paper argues that adequately addressing the crisis requires coordinated humanitarian action, cultural sensitivity, mental health support, and a more generous and deliberate approach to refugee admissions — particularly in the United States and other Western nations.
- U.S. and International Resettlement Policy: U.S. admissions timeline and international funding gaps
- Best Professional Practices for Refugee Support: Health, education, and rapid response priorities
- Need for Psychosocial Interventions and Cultural Competence: Mental health risks facing Syrian refugees
- Cultural Sensitivity and the Role of Ethnicity and Religion: Isolation, legal differences, and cultural adjustment
- Ethical Responsibilities of Host Nations: Humanitarian obligations and integration duties
- Recommendations for Resettlement Policy: Case for accepting more Syrian refugees
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper moves systematically from policy context to practice to ethics, creating a logical progression that builds a coherent argument for more generous refugee resettlement.
- It draws on a range of credible sources — including UN agencies, policy research institutions, and academic literature — to support each section's claims.
- The section on cultural sensitivity is particularly thorough, addressing practical dimensions such as legal differences around domestic violence and polygamy that are often overlooked in policy discussions.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of multi-source integration to build a policy argument. Rather than relying on a single perspective, the author weaves together governmental data, humanitarian agency reports, and academic research to construct a well-rounded analysis. This is a standard and effective approach in policy analysis writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper is organized into six thematic sections: an overview of U.S. and international policy responses; best practices drawn from field experience; psychosocial and mental health needs; cultural and religious considerations for resettlement; ethical duties of host nations; and concrete policy recommendations. Each section builds on the previous one, culminating in a call for expanded and more deliberate refugee admissions.
U.S. and International Resettlement Policy
In view of the unfolding Syrian refugee crisis, the U.S. government faced pressure from political entities and the general public to accept more Syrian refugees under its refugee resettlement initiative. On September 10, 2015, the executive branch announced plans to admit no fewer than 10,000 refugees from Syria during the October 2015–September 2016 fiscal year. The nation was, at that time, reviewing the applications of thousands of Syrian refugees, but as of October 1, 2015, the U.S. had admitted only 1,494 individuals since the start of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, and had been widely criticized for its sluggish response.
Although neighboring nations granting asylum, wealthy and more distant nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States, and international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO) contributed funds and resources to address the refugee situation, the sheer magnitude of the crisis led to chronic underfunding of both resettlement programs and refugee camps.
Best Professional Practices for Refugee Support
According to Davies (2015), needs assessments conducted among refugee populations indicate that after shelter and safety, newly arrived refugees prioritize health and education. It is therefore essential to establish rapid medical response teams capable of preventing disease outbreaks in camp settings. Moreover, because children constitute a significant proportion of the refugee population, ensuring their continued access to education is critical. Children returning to school plays an important role in restoring a sense of normalcy; it also assists in protecting lives, as teachers are positioned to identify health and other problems in children (Davies, 2015).
Need for Psychosocial Interventions and Cultural Competence
Prior to resettlement, the majority of refugees have already spent at least a year living in camps. The combination of trauma experienced before fleeing their homeland and the scarcity of services and resources characteristic of refugee camps means that Syrian refugees have poor access to education and are highly vulnerable to developing mental illness. Addressing the needs of civil war refugees requires far more than the provision of shelter and food. Refugees typically experience multiple traumatic events, placing them at elevated risk of depression, psychosomatic pain, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all of which can adversely affect long-term development (Sirin & Rogers-Sirin, 2015).
References
Cragin, K., & Connable, B. (2015). To undermine ISIS, we should welcome Syrian refugees. RAND Corporation. Retrieved May 4, 2016, from http://www.rand.org/blog/2015/12/to-undermine-isis-we-should-welcome-syrian-refugees.html
Cultural Orientation Resource Center. (2014). Refugees from Syria. Retrieved May 5, 2016, from http://www.teslontario.net/uploads/news/RefugeesfromSyriabackgrounderCulturalOrientationReso.pdf
Davies, D. (2015). How to move from theory to practice on Syria's refugee crisis. Devex. Retrieved May 7, 2016, from https://www.devex.com/news/how-to-move-from-theory-to-practice-on-syria-s-refugee-crisis-86603
Joint Declaration on the current state of refugee policy — Heinrich Böll Stiftung European Union. (2015). Retrieved May 4, 2016, from https://eu.boell.org/en/2015/09/02/joint-declaration-current-state-refugee-policy
Sirin, S. R., & Rogers-Sirin, L. (2015). The educational and mental health needs of Syrian refugee children. Migration Policy Institute.
UNFPA. (2015). Women and girls in the Syria crisis: UNFPA response facts and figures. Retrieved May 4, 2016, from https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/UNFPA-FACTSANDFIGURES-5%5B4%5D.pdf
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