Set Up to Fail: Refugees Face Barriers to Entry During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Join the WCL chapter of the International Refugee Assistance Project (WCL IRAP) for a conference on how refugees and displaced persons comprised one of the most vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic and how this reveals significant inequities that need to be rectified. While the vulnerabilities of refugee communities predated the pandemic, the global health crisis exacerbated them in a manner that exposed the social, economic, and legal obstacles that refugee communities continue to face. As we potentially emerge from this crisis, join WCL IRAP as we explore the obstacles refugee communities faced during this time and how the domestic and international communities should ensure these persons are adequately protected now and in advance of the next emergency.

This conference will consist of three panels. The first will explore the economic, social, and legal barriers that refugee communities faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, including barriers to employment and access to adequate healthcare.

The second panel will specifically address the recent migration from Venezuela and the precarious situation of the thousands of refugees fleeing their home in the wake of a global health crisis.

The final panel will strategize ways to help refugee communities within your local area and abroad.