Pan-African Parliament discusses ways to help fight xenophobia in SA
MIDRAND – The Pan-African Parliament hosted a conference to discuss ways to migrants can live comfortably in foreign countries.
The Pan-African Parliament hosted a three-day conference to discuss approaches on how to better handle issues of migrants in South Africa and other parts of the world.
Speaking at the conference themed Comprehensive Responses to Refugee Situations – Effective Parliamentary Approaches, on 13 November was the CEO of the South African Human Rights Commission, advocate Tseliso Thipanyane and senior manager for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Bureau of South Africa, Madalena Hogg.
Hogg and Thipanyane led discussions on how to fight stereotypes and xenophobia. Hogg explained that combating these issues has to be done through a mix of strategic measures at different levels.
However, it is important to remember that no organ or entity can replace the lead role the government should play as it is the institution legally mandated to ensure that law and order should prevail.
Hogg added, “The causes of xenophobia and all the related intolerance are deeply rooted and are also linked to socio-economic challenges. In the South African context, government has taken serious measures and there are achievements for the prevention and response to xenophobic violence. Notably, in 2019, the South African government has successfully launched the National Action Plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance.
“It took many years of engagement with parliament and of course with members of the public, so the work has just begun.”
Hogg explained that a collective approach is required for the successful implementation of such a national action plan and stakeholders such as local political leaders or ward councillors and traditional leaders should also be engaged as they are on the ground level.
Thipanyane added that one of the issues in addressing stereotypes and xenophobia is that people have to understand what the problem is, where the issues come from and what the reality is in order to address the issues adequately.
“One of the first very important facts we must acknowledge is that migration has always been a part of human existence. It is not a new issue; human beings have migrated sometimes forcibly or out of voluntary migration.
“At the moment, what is important is that there is recognition to protect migrants in terms of the international law and human rights treaties that have been signed since 1948.
“Some of the challenges the South African Human Rights Commission has picked up over the years, which have to be directly dealt with is that there is a need for proper identification of problems around stereotypes and migrants, education programmes for migrants, a need for greater integration among the different role players and a need on how to deal with issues of migration with clarity.”
Related Article:
