IWB for Refugees: Belgium
Belgium
Capital: Brussels
Location: Western Europe
Founder of the European Union
Currency: Euro
Population: 11,161,600
GDP:
Min. wage:
Poverty line:
Population under poverty line:
“As is for many, the global refugee crisis was always a “faraway problem” to me. This changed when I did my internship at the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations in New York. I attended several refugee related meetings with shocking and horrifying testimonies from victims and people who work in the field. Instead of continuing to turn my head the other way, I now want roll up my sleeves and try to turn the tide. The IWB for refugees project is the way to do this.”
“Writing my master’s thesis on the compliance of the EU border policy with the international right to asylum has really opened my eyes on the enormous challenges the EU faces with regard to migrants and refugees seeking better livelihood in Europe. The deficiencies of the current EU border and asylum policy have clearly shown throughout the past few years. Enhancing this EU policy is a crucial step towards improving the situation of refugees, as the EU strongly influences how national governments will deal with migrants and asylum seekers in the coming years. I believe that the IWB for Refugees project is an important part of the effort towards such an improvement.”