Topic > International human rights standards for migrants

Every day, in many parts of the world, groups of people flee their homeland, mainly because they risk serious human rights violations there, their own government cannot or will not protect them, and they are forced to seek international protection. They are called refugees and these people's journey can be full of danger and fear. They are not always welcomed in new countries and some are detained by the authorities as soon as they arrive and are often victims of torture, rape and racial and sexual abuse, in the worst cases they are even killed. After long and arduous journeys, refugees are sometimes extremely tired and many become ill from being deprived of basic necessities for so long. Where there are refugees, various refugee camps have been set up, but the question remains whether they can meet the needs of the destitute. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Ensuring adequate health and sanitation mechanisms in refugee camps has always been a problem and one of the vital reasons to ensure the well-being of refugees. Everyone's right to enjoy the highest possible level of physical and mental health is what WHO works for and was established in 1948. There are ratified international human rights standards and conventions to protect the rights of migrants and refugees, including their right to health. However, many refugees and migrants often lack access to health services and financial protection for their health. Kenya hosts one of the largest refugee camps in the world, the "Dadaab refugee camp", monitored and controlled by NGOs, UNHCR and WHO. As it is one of the largest refugee camps, this means that it is crowded and deals with many refugees, as well as the fact that health and sanitation remains a major challenge. There are around 1 or 2 toilets for 30-40 people which raises the issue of hygiene and open defecation, especially by young children and the elderly, facilitates disease transmission and hinders adequate hygiene. The cramped camps also mean an epidemic of viral diseases (waterborne diseases, viruses) and a lack of clean, adequate water. Waste management is not adequate for the large population and the health of refugees is further threatened by flies, mosquitoes and rodents that find breeding grounds. Health and sanitation remains a major challenge for the Kenyan government and often questioned by international communities. However, in 2017, surprisingly, the Kenyan government declared that it will appeal to the court which will decide its plan to close the Dadaab refugee camp, the largest in the world, stating that the safety of Kenyan citizens is of the highest priority and that the refugee camp is used as a "launch pad for various terrorist attacks by Al-Shabaab". Indeed, Vice President William Ruto has affirmed the decision to close Kenya's camps and says Western countries should welcome their share of refugees from East Africa. But as expected, international pressure arrived and the High Court ruling responded to the petition of two Kenyan human rights organizations, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and Kituo Cha Sheria, not to close Dadaab. So to date the camp has not yet been closed due to conflicting decisions. In addition to Dadaab camp there are other refugee camps in Kenya which host refugees from war-affected African nations and although reports state that the refugees live a moderate life, the refugees tell stories of hunger and ill health and that they are inhabited by other species.