South Africa – How COVID-19 has exacerbated existing vulnerabilities of asylum-seekers, refugees, and undocumented migrants in South Africa

Description

An estimated 2 million foreign-born migrants of working age (15–64) were living in South Africa (SA) in 2017. Structural and practical xenophobia has driven asylum-seekers, refugees, and undocumented migrants in SA to abject poverty and misery.

In this webinar, ITM alumnus Dr Ferdinand  Mukumbang (PhD & EV 2018) will illustrate how COVID-19 containment measures adopted by the SA government through the lockdown of the nation have tremendously deepened the unequal treatment of asylum-seekers and refugees in SA. Leaving this category of the SA society out of the national response safety nets may lead to negative coping strategies causing mental health issues and secondary health concerns. An effective response to the socioeconomic challenges imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic should consider the economic and health impact of the pandemic on asylum-seekers, refugees, and undocumented migrants.

Speaker:

• Dr Ferdinand Mukumbang, Senior Scientist, Burden of Disease Unit, South African Medical Research Council, South Africa

Moderator:

• Nandini D P Sarkar, Doctoral Researcher @ Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium

Time: 7 October 2020, 02:00 PM CEST

Register: via Zoom