Myths about Refugees: Can You Differentiate Facts and Myths?

There are plenty of misconceptions out there about refugees which fuel the discrimination and hatred towards them. Refugees will continue to exist as long as wars, conflicts, and persecutions continue.

We have responsibility to play in aiding in this refugee crisis. Knowing how to distinguish fact from myths is the first step toward contributing to the solution. Here, we debunk the 5 most common refugee myths.

Myth #1: Refugees = Migrants

Myths #2: All Refugees in Malaysia are Rohingya

Myth #3: Refugees are Uneducated and Low Skilled

Myth #4: Refugees Pose Health Hazards

Myth #5: There is Nothing I Can Do to Help Refugees

If you would like to know more, do check out these references:

1) UNHCR, 2021 – Know the myths from the facts https://www.unhcr.org/.../know-the-myths-from-the-facts...

2) UNHCR, 2021 – Figures at a Glance in Malaysia https://www.unhcr.org/.../figures-at-a-glance-in-malaysia...

3) Malaysiakini, 2020 by Tan Zhong Yan – Debunking Refugee Myths with Figure and Facts https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/526025

4) WHO, 2019 – Things to know about the health of refugees and migrants https://www.who.int/.../10-things-to-know-about-the...

5) Our Better World.org, 2020 – Refugee myths vs Facts https://www.ourbetterworld.org/.../refugees-myth-vs-fact