Abstract
The world is facing large scale involuntary migration as never before; however, these refugees are treated as numbers, not as human beings. Refugees frequently migrate to cities, staying in less developed zones, or in refugee camps. In both situations, migrants are exposed to countless threats like zoonotic diseases, diseases caused by poor sanitation, violence, hunger and malnutrition. By ignoring the human side of migrants, governments and civil society are condemning entire generations of people to a life of misery, segregation, emotional imbalances and lack of possibilities for the future. International networks and universities are key elements to increase these people’s protection, safety and wellbeing. They promote international assistance and support through procedures, such as basic aid (food, health and housing), education, social inclusion and sanitation. Therefore, this study aims to analyze how universities can contribute towards improving refugees’ wellbeing by implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. To reach this goal, a qualitative approach was used to collect and analyze the necessary data, followed by interviews with seven university managers. Universities have the knowledge and the resources to promote education and capacity building, to teach the local language, and technically and culturally prepare these refugees to fit in the host country. Universities can engage refugees in their campuses and events, also promoting assistance to improve the sanitation and hygiene on refugee camps to improve health and wellbeing.
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Acknowledgements
This study was conducted by the Centre for Sustainable Development (Greens), from the University of Southern Santa Catarina (Unisul), in the context of the project BRIDGE—Building Resilience in a Dynamic Global Economy: Complexity across scales in the Brazilian Food-Water-Energy Nexus; funded by the Newton Fund, Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa e Inovação do Estado de Santa Catarina (FAPESC), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível superior (CAPES), National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) and the Research Councils United Kingdom (RCUK).
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Berchin, I.I., Ribeiro, J.M.P., Castro, B.C.G., Moraes-Filho, J., de Andrade Guerra, J. (2021). What About the Human Side of Climate-Induced Migration? The Role of Universities in Improving Refugees’ Wellbeing by Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. In: Leal Filho, W., Salvia, A.L., Brandli, L., Azeiteiro, U.M., Pretorius, R. (eds) Universities, Sustainability and Society: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. World Sustainability Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63399-8_11
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