Perilous Journeys: Exploring the real factors of migration
Factor Score: ?
THE FACTORS
We usually think about the reasons people leave and where they go in terms of “push” and “pull” factors. Push factors ― oppression, conflict, famine, poverty and more ― force people to leave their homes. Pull factors ― peace, resources, personal freedom, economic opportunities and more ― guide where they want to go.
But there’s a more nuanced way to examine migrants’ motivations. It involves considering both helpful and harmful factors in three ways: at home, along the migration journey and at the ultimate destination.
Click or tap the button below to explore the factors that motivate refugees, migrants and asylum seekers to risk everything for a new life.
Track your progress above, and click or tap the icon in the upper right for an overview.
Explore the Factors1 of 35
Origin
National Identity
National identity provides a sense of belonging and helps fulfill the basic psychological need to connect.
|
National identity is an important source of belonging. Leaving one’s home, especially involuntarily, can challenge this important part of self conception. Citizenship also brings with it certain legal rights and protections that migrants must forfeit when they relocate.
Although we never lose our nation of origin, moving to a new country often means redefining our identity.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No2 of 35
Origin
Attachment
Living close to our roots can provide a strong sense of pride, familiarity and predictability.
|
We often feel a sense of belonging to where we were born and raised. Living close to our roots can provide a strong sense of pride, familiarity and predictability.
“When you’ve been in a place all your life, and your roots are just so deep in it, it’s hard to supplant and decide that another place gonna be your home. Especially with the way of life here in the city of New Orleans, is different from anywhere in the rest of the United States.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No3 of 35
Origin
Professional Networks
Some refugees give up established careers and extensive professional networks when they leave home.
|
Pursuing a career and growing a business are made easier when we can rely on friends, family and other contacts for support. Migrants must give up established professional networks. Some refugees are doctors, engineers and other trained professionals, but when they leave home they often must start from scratch.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No4 of 35
Origin
Family & Friends
Refugees face tough choices. Leaving home often means losing connections with family and friends.
|
Migrating under duress often means making difficult decisions about who goes and who stays, dividing families either temporarily or permanently. Staying home can mean maintaining bonds with the family and friends who act with our best interests in mind.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No5 of 35
Origin
Deterrence Media Campaigns
Governments have spent millions on media campaigns that warn would-be migrants of the perils that await if they leave home. But some argue the materials only reinforce stereotypes.
|
Governments have spent millions on websites, films and other media campaigns to warn would-be migrants of the perils that await if they leave home. Sometimes, real-life migrants provide first-person accounts of their experiences crossing deserts and seas. They reveal graphic details of their journeys to convey a sobering message to viewers: However bad things are now, they'll become much worse if you put your lives into the hands of smugglers.
The effectiveness of these campaigns isn’t clear, but the governments and organizations backing the projects, including Australia, Italy and the International Organization for Migration, believe in their impact. Some planning to leave may know the risks, they argue, but other migrants and refuguees have reported that smugglers downplayed dangers to coax them into leaving home. However, critics argue that deterrence campaigns only reinforce the perception that all migrants and refugees have a choice and can avoid harm, if they only stay put.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No6 of 35
Origin
EU Investment Programs
In recent years, Europe has weighed the benefits and risks of investing in African countries to curb migration, but critics question the effectiveness of the programs.
|
In recent years, Europe has weighed the benefits and risks of investing in African countries to curb migration. Some of these investments would come from newly raised funds designed to match the gravity of the refugee crisis. Others would involve refocusing existing aid programs.
In late 2015, the EU announced plans to put nearly $2 billion in a trust fund for African nations and called on individual member states to make matching contributions.
The funds would be aimed at improving infrastructures and opportunities in the African countries most implicated in migration to Europe.
In May 2016, the EU unveiled an even more ambitious plan that would reach nearly $67 billion in funding.
But the potential impact of these programs isn't clear.
Some African leaders worry that the money emphasizes aid over investment. Focusing on charity instead of trade, they argue, might actually make things worse by fostering dependency. Others see the funds as inadequate, especially when divided between 20 or more countries.
Another concern is the potential misuse of funds, particularly by nations with dubious governance and human rights records. Germany, for example, has announced plans to direct funds to Eritrea, a key source of migrants. The German government has expressed hope that investments will change internal policies, including those linked to compulsory national service, but observers are wary of their capacity to help.
Incentives may also put pressure on African states to crack down on refugees in lieu of making substantive economic or political changes, a practice some regard as “outsourced” migration policy.
Well, it’s a dramatic situation as we’ve all seen—as we’ve all seen from our television screens over the last year or so.— Patrick Walsh, Deputy Director General of Global Operations Outside the EU, The European Investment Bank
Read the full story on VOA News
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No7 of 35
Origin
Oppression & Persecution
Governments oppress and persecute by instilling fear, threatening safety, imprisoning, torturing and killing.
|
Oppression and persecution occur when people with authority target a group because of its members’ political beliefs, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, race, age, region or other perceived markers of difference.
Oppression and persecution can entail instilling fear, threatening safety, imprisoning, torturing and killing. They can also mean limiting a group’s ability to succeed by blocking access to services and resources. Systematically enforced rules can also lead to oppression and persecution. One example is indefinite military conscription in Eritrea.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No8 of 35
Origin
Famine
When natural disasters or government policies cause famine, entire communities may find they must leave home to survive.
|
Natural disasters such as drought and flooding can cause famine. Sometimes, authorities target groups by disrupting food supplies, resulting in large-scale, prolonged hunger. Money designated to buy food can be used to buy weapons.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No9 of 35
Origin
Drought
Severe water shortages can force those who rely on rain to move elsewhere if the state does not support them.
|
Droughts can cause food shortages and displace families. Farmers are particularly vulnerable, and severe water shortages can force those who rely on rain to move elsewhere if the state does not support them.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No10 of 35
Origin
Flooding
Flooding forces people to leave their homes in search of shelter and safety.
|
Flooding forces people to leave their homes in search of shelter and safety. Like many natural disasters, floods strike quickly, displacing families and, sometimes, entire communities. Flood waters can destroy homes in minutes, and damaged buildings can remain uninhabitable for years.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No11 of 35
Origin
War
Modern conflicts are not confined to battlefields, and civilians are often caught in the crossfire and chaos. They have few choices: Stay home and become a target, or flee.
|
War is a man-made disaster that threatens lives and destroys communities. It tears families apart and dashes hope for the future. Modern conflicts are not confined to battlefields, and civilians are often caught in the crossfire and chaos. They have few choices: Stay home and become a target, or flee.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No12 of 35
Origin
Unemployment
The inability to find work can have drastic consequences on families with few assets, forcing people to relocate.
|
In countries with struggling economies, unemployment and underemployment can be unavoidable realities instead of occasional setbacks. The inability to find work can have drastic consequences on families with few assets. No jobs or insufficient pay can mean no food or shelter and diminished prospects for improving things.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No13 of 35
Origin
Economic Hardship
Poverty constricts opportunities for current and future generations, driving people to find new places where they can provide for themselves and their families.
|
Unemployment and economic hardship are closely linked. Living hand-to-mouth creates daily pressures and limits people's capacity to plan for a better future. Poverty constricts opportunities for current and future generations, driving people to find new places where they can provide for themselves and their families.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No14 of 35
Origin
Few Education Opportunities
Limited access to education can drive people from their homes in search of better opportunities.
|
Limited access to education can drive people from their homes in search of better opportunities. Parents may decide to relocate to find better schooling systems for their children. Without access to education, opportunities are limited.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No15 of 35
Origin
Cronyism & Nepotism
Cronyism and nepotism make it difficult to succeed based on merit and can keep some groups in power indefinitely, while others never have access to the same positions and accompanying opportunities.
|
In some societies people receive appointments based on connections to authority, sometimes at very high levels. Cronyism and nepotism make it difficult to succeed based on merit and can keep some groups in power indefinitely, while others never have access to the same positions and accompanying opportunities. Once ingrained, traditions of cronyism can be very difficult to reverse.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No16 of 35
JOURNEY
Traffickers
Traffickers exploit, control and coerce migrants and refugees after kidnapping them or luring them by false promises for a better life.
|
Traffickers transport people against their will or with abusive tactics. Driven by the potential for exorbitant profits, they treat humans as commodities. In the process, traffickers exploit, control and coerce. Migrants and refugees fall into the hands of traffickers unwittingly. In some cases, they are kidnapped. In others, they are lured by false promises for a better life.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No17 of 35
JOURNEY
Drowning
Any journey over water brings the risk of drowning, especially in colder months when inclement weather increases.
|
Any journey over water brings the risk of drowning, especially in colder months when inclement weather increases. Migrants crossing the Mediterranean are particularly susceptible to this threat. Many cannot swim. The life preservers they receive ― if they’ve fortunate to have any ― are old and seldom intended for use at sea. The vessels they travel in are poorly built and overcrowded. Boats frequently capsize, and loss of life is significant when they do.
“I mean, this is the kind of thing a child is p― you know, wears in a swimming pool. It's not what you wear crossing an ocean.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No18 of 35
JOURNEY
Dehydration
When refugees take great risks to evade authorities and possible arrest, they can also lose access to basic needs. Adults and children have been found severely dehydrated and close to death hiding in the back of trucks in Austria and other European countries.
|
Severe, extended dehydration causes pain, delirium and unconsciousness. Without water for prolonged periods, vital organs fail, and we eventually die. In June 2015, 18 migrants perished in northern Niger, with terminal dehydration as the most likely cause of death.
Dehydration is not confined to the dunes of the Sahara. In August 2015, five migrants were found dead, most likely from dehydration, on a small rubber boat heading from Libya to Italy.
When refugees take great risks to evade authorities and possible arrest, they can also lose access to basic needs. Adults and children have been found severely dehydrated and close to death hiding in the back of trucks in Austria and other European countries.
“We know that traffickers are increasing in the area through the desert to Libya. We believe that there has been an undercount (of the dead) because of the remoteness and the difficulty of patrolling.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No19 of 35
JOURNEY
Assault
Migrants face the possibility of physical assault at every step of their journey. Beatings, stabbings and shootings have been well-documented, with assailants wielding guns, knives, swords and makeshift weapons.
|
Migrants face the possibility of physical assault at every step of their journey. Attacks can happen in cities and rural areas, on streets and in detention centers. They occur during robberies, as punishment by traffickers and as a means to assert authority and coerce vulnerable people. Smugglers, armed groups and guards are also potential perpetrators. Beatings, stabbings and shootings have been well-documented, with assailants wielding guns, knives, swords and makeshift weapons.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No20 of 35
JOURNEY
Sexual Assault
The possibility of rape and other forms of sexual assault persists throughout the migration journey, and women and children are especially vulnerable.
|
The possibility of rape and other forms of sexual assault persists throughout the migration journey, and women and children are especially vulnerable. In chaotic, lawless settings, basic safeguards are missing. Traffickers and smugglers may extort migrants, trading sex for the prospect of further passage. Armed groups and criminal networks use rape to terrorize and extort. Police officers, aid workers and even fellow migrants can represent additional threats.
In a study conducted in 2009 and 2010, Doctors Without Borders found that one third of the women they treated in Morocco were victims of at least one sexual assault, often on their migration journey.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No21 of 35
JOURNEY
Abduction, Torture & Maiming
Criminal organizations operate ruthless businesses designed to wrest money from vulnerable and desperate people. Migrants are captured and held for ransom. Their families and friends are contacted, and failure to meet their abductors’ demands leads to beatings, torture and maiming.
|
Migrants and refugees travel through failed states and lawless regions. When civil society breaks down, gangs, armed groups and criminal organizations take over. They operate ruthless businesses designed to wrest money from vulnerable and desperate people, without regard for human life.
Abduction is a common tactic in this twisted enterprise. Migrants are captured and held for ransom. Their families and friends are contacted, and failure to meet their abductors’ demands leads to beatings, torture and maiming. In some cases, abductors perform dangerous operations to remove their victims’ organs against their will. Stolen body parts are sold on the black market for large sums of money.
Some regions, such as the Sinai Peninsula, are notorious for extreme forms of trafficking and torture, but research from Amnesty International found that abuses occurred in large cities as well remote regions.
“Sometimes it feels like we’re working in a warzone but here I think it’s even worse, because we see injuries that haven’t been treated for weeks.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No22 of 35
JOURNEY
Deportations
Deportations put migrants in a sudden state of limbo.
|
Migrants and refugees desperate to leave their homes often travel without paperwork through illegal channels, putting them at constant risk of deportation.
Deportations tend to be forcible, sudden and unpredictable. In November 2016, Algerian authorities deported over a thousand migrants to Niger. Some of the migrants were from Niger, but the majority started in other West African countries.
Deportations often occur without warning or explanation, placing migrants in a state of limbo and, often, in an unknown country.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No23 of 35
JOURNEY
Smugglers
Smugglers enable migrants and refugees to reach their desired destinations in exchange for large sums of money. Since their goal is to profit instead of help, smugglers’ tactics can quickly slide from mercenary to cruel.
|
Smugglers enable migrants and refugees reach their desired destinations in exchange for large sums of money. Often, they are paid in full upfront, and they have little incentive to ensure safe passage.
Smugglers facilitate migrants’ goals to reach what they believe will be safe harbor. They plot travel routes, coordinate transportation and offer tips on evading police. Large, well-organized criminal networks often support smugglers.
Their motives, however, are driven by the prospect of making money from desperate people. Since their goal is to profit instead of help, smugglers’ tactics can quickly slide from mercenary to cruel. Often, they directly threaten migrants’ well-being and lives, blurring the line between smuggler and trafficker.
And this is why we believe, in Doctors without Borders, we believe that it is very important to reconsider the European policy. It is important to reconsider safe and legal passage because, the moment they don’t have this, this is when they would actually look for the smugglers, and this is where the smugglers become very important because they are the only way to get them across.— Nicholas Papachrysostomou, field coordinator for Dignity I, a rescue ship in the Mediterranean operated by Doctors Without Borders, or Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
Read the full story on VOA News
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No24 of 35
JOURNEY
Search & Rescue Missions
The European Union funds and organizes Mediterranean search and rescue missions. Crews search for refugees who are crowded into rickety boats and bring them aboard, guaranteeing safe passage to Europe.
|
The European Union funds and organizes Mediterranean search and rescue missions. Member states send transport docks and other ships to patrol the Mediterranean Sea. Crews search for refugees who are crowded into rickety boats and bring them aboard, guaranteeing safe passage to Europe.
Operation Mare Nostrum was a large-scale mission funded and operated by Italy in 2013, with additional financing from the EU. Despite its effectiveness, the operation was costly and unpopular among many in Europe and ceased.
Governments aren't the only ones providing aid. In 2014, philanthropists Chris and Regina Catrambone launched a privately-funded mission. They've invested millions in the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, and their efforts have helped thousands of people reach safety.
On a smaller scale, Italian and Greek coast guards patrol waters and respond to distress calls.
At the Valletta Summit on Migration in November 2015, European and African leaders expressed a commitment to conduct search and rescue missions whenever possible to save lives at sea. Support for the operations will come from the Emergency Trust Fund for Africa, a €1.8 billion pool of EU and European Development Fund money. EU member states will supply additional contributions.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No25 of 35
JOURNEY
Relocation Programs
Relocation involves coordinated efforts to move asylum seekers from their arrival points in Italy and Greece to nations with more stable economies
|
In Europe, relocation involves coordinated efforts to move asylum seekers from their arrival points in Italy and Greece to nations with more stable economies, including Sweden. A program agreed upon by EU member states in September 2015 provides relocation opportunities to 160,000 asylum seekers from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea. The resettlements will happen over two years.
In 2016, the U.S. will resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees from camps administered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. After a lengthy screening process, qualifying refugees will receive short-term stipends and travel assistance. Nine nonprofit organizations will help coordinate the resettlements.
Following the November 2015 attacks in Paris, many U.S. governors have said that they don’t want to admit refugees in their states, though they can’t legally oppose the federal government’s decision.
“I want to live serenely.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No26 of 35
DESTINATION
Detention, Jail & Prison
Most migrants who arrive on European shores via the Mediterranean carry no paperwork and face severe consequences, from lengthy detainment to prison.
|
Most migrants who arrive on European shores via the Mediterranean carry no paperwork. They hold no visas, and their legal entry is predicated on whether they qualify as asylum seekers.
Without proper paperwork, migrants face severe consequences, from lengthy detainment to prison.
Determining whether someone is a refugee with legal rights to protection takes time ― days, weeks or longer. This creates a state of limbo, and some migrants find themselves in detention centers indefinitely as they await decisions about their claims.
One such center is in Mineo, Italy. Thousands of migrants are held in Mineo, often without knowing how long it will take for officials to process their cases.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No27 of 35
DESTINATION
Discrimination
Fears that migrants will strain resources and commit crimes fuel racist and xenophobic views in many countries. Sometimes, these attitudes lead to violent attacks.
|
Fears that migrants will strain resources and commit crimes fuel racist and xenophobic views in many countries. Sometimes, these attitudes lead to violent attacks.
Even in Germany, where more asylum seekers find refuge than any other European country, migrants face hostility. Groups with baseball bats have attacked Syrian refugees, and arsonists have destroyed shelters intended for migrants. In Meissen, Germany, arsonists destroyed a newly refurbished apartment building intended for Syrian refugees.
Systemic discrimination affects migrations' efforts to secure housing, education and health services. In Israel, where very few asylum requests are granted, coordinated efforts discourage migrants from arriving or give them little option but to leave.
“If we don’t stop their entry, the problem that currently stands at 60,000 could grow to 600,000, and that threatens our existence as a Jewish and democratic state.”
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No28of 35
DESTINATION
Language & Cultural Barriers
Migrants who face language and cultural barriers may have trouble accessing all the opportunities their new home affords.
|
Resettling thousands of miles from home often means immersing in a completely new society and grappling with its different language, culture and norms. Migrants who face language and cultural barriers may have trouble accessing all the opportunities their new home affords.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No29 of 35
DESTINATION
Unemployment
Securing employment isn’t a foregone conclusion, especially when migrants find themselves in destination countries with struggling economies.
|
Securing employment isn’t a foregone conclusion, especially when migrants find themselves in destination countries with struggling economies. With ongoing difficulties finding work, migrants may find they have replaced one set of challenges with another.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No30 of 35
DESTINATION
Border Controls
European authorities have relied increasingly on land and maritime patrols, fences and monitoring technologies to protect their borders.
|
European countries have ramped up efforts to block the influx of migrants through a variety of border control tactics. These include land and maritime patrols, fences and monitoring technologies to detect illegal crossings.
In January 2017, hundreds of migrants rushed a border fence near the Spanish city of Ceuta, in northern Morocco. Dozens were injured in the clash, including over 50 police officers.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No31 of 35
DESTINATION
Job Prospects
The promise of future employment represents more than material wealth. Often, it also means access to better education, health care and other services.
|
The prospect of steady, well-paying work can be a major draw for both migrants and refugees. Whether one is fleeing war or economic hardship, the promise of future employment represents more than material wealth. Often, it also means access to better education, health care and other services. And job prospects represent a means to lift family members out of poverty.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No32 of 35
DESTINATION
Personal Freedom
Environments with strong personal freedoms hold incalculable value, especially for those coming from places with severe restrictions on freedom.
|
Everyone hopes to live without fear of persecution or retribution simply because of who they are. Environments with strong personal freedoms hold incalculable value, especially for those coming from places with severe restrictions on freedom.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No33 of 35
DESTINATION
Safety & Security
Without basic security, it’s impossible to live fully.
|
Without basic security, it’s impossible to live fully. All aspects of life can suffer when safety is a question: work, school, home and more. Everyone shares the hope for safety and security.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No34 of 35
DESTINATION
Mobility
Mobility represents options, now and in the future.
|
Freedom of movement represents more than just the luxury of packing up and moving somewhere new. Mobility also represents options, now and in the future. When life circumstances change, mobility can lead to new opportunities that hadn’t previously been accessible.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No35 of 35
DESTINATION
Family & Friends
Reuniting with loved ones is an important pull factor.
|
Migrants sometimes join family who have already resettled. Reuniting with loved ones is an important pull factor.
If you were considering leaving your home, would this factor influence your decision?
Yes No1 of 5
Scenario
Rahma
You are a 33-year-old woman from Mogadishu, Somalia. You want a better future for your seven children and their father, but conflict and hardship are all you've known. Longstanding fighting between government forces and Al-Shabaab has made your home unlivable. With civilians in the crossfire, safety is elusive, and job prospects are bleak.
You are now four months pregnant, with no signs of hope in Somalia. You desperately want more for your family, but do you leave them behind or bring them with you? Europe holds the most promise, but it could take months just to get to Libya. From there, more perils await when you cross the Mediterranean. And what if you give birth on the journey?
What would you do if you were in this situation? Pick an answer below. You’ll see how your response stacks up to others after responding.
- I would not leave my home.
- I would leave my home.
This is the story of Rahma Abukar Ali. Ali traveled for five months before reaching Libya. She gave birth on a German Navy vessel in the Mediterranean. She and her newborn daughter now live at a refugee center near Düsseldorf, Germany. The rest of her family remains in Somalia.
After reading Rahma’s story, here’s how people responded:
WOULD NOT LEAVE HOME.
WOULD LEAVE HOME.
2 of 5
Scenario
Idah
You are an economics student in northern Nigeria. You want to focus on your studies and get a good job one day, but the world around you is chaotic. Conflicts between Christians and Muslims are routine. These tensions sometimes boil over and lead to violent confrontations in the street. You are unable to find peace, and you don't think you can complete your studies when you live in fear.
What would you do if you were in this situation? Pick an answer below. You’ll see how your response stacks up to others after responding.
- I would not leave my home.
- I would leave my home.
This is the story of Idah Yaro. Yaro travelled to Libya when Gaddafi was still in power. He then took an inflatable boat with 35 other men to Malta, where he worked odd jobs and stayed for six years. He then took a ferry to Sicily, where he now sleeps on the streets.
After reading Idah’s story, here’s how people responded:
WOULD NOT LEAVE HOME.
WOULD LEAVE HOME.
3 of 5
Scenario
Habtom
You are a 29-year-old man from Eritrea, an East African country with severe restrictions on personal freedom. You feel a deep sense of pride and loyalty to your home, but it has become more and more difficult to support yourself and your family.
Some of your friends, frustrated and desperate, have made a harrowing journey to find new prospects in Israel. They’ve risked a lot, including beatings and traffickers -- but a few have managed to start a new life. Now, you’re wondering if you should take the same chance. You figure the job prospects must be better. You can send money back to your family. But you know it won’t be easy, even if you can reach your destination. You worry about your language skills and the discrimination you might face far from home.
What would you do if you were in this situation? Pick an answer below. You’ll see how your response stacks up to others after responding.
- I would not leave my home.
- I would leave my home.
This is the story of Habtom Woldemichael Zerom. Habtom migrated to Israel to find a better life. He worked in farming jobs for several years, most recently at a plant nursery in southern Israel. In October, 2015, he travelled to Beersheba to renew his work visa. He was mistaken for a terrorist and fatally shot by a security guard. After he was shot, an angry mob beat Habtom. He was planning to return to Eritrea and reunite with his family, according to a friend.
After reading Habtom’s story, here’s how people responded:
WOULD NOT LEAVE HOME.
WOULD LEAVE HOME.
4 of 5
Scenario
Mohammad
You are an Afghan economics professor at Maiwand, an Afghan university. You are a 29-year-old, well-educated man who had an established career. When you decide to run for a seat in parliament, your candidacy suddenly makes you the target of threats from the Taliban, an islamist militant group in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They say you are an agent of the Americans. You know that the war in Afghanistan doesn’t guarantee security for regular citizens, let alone those running for any office. What do you do?
What would you do if you were in this situation? Pick an answer below. You’ll see how your response stacks up to others after responding.
- I would not leave my home.
- I would leave my home.
This is the story of Mohammad Yousof. When the Taliban accused him of spying for the U.S., Yousof decided to leave the country to protect his life. He abandoned both his candidacy for parliament and his university post and ended up in a refugee camp in Greece. Suddenly stripped of his status, Yousof found himself with few options, his movements severely restricted.
After reading Mohammad’s story, here’s how people responded:
WOULD NOT LEAVE HOME.
WOULD LEAVE HOME.
5 of 5
Scenario
Samar
You are a 35-year-old single mother from Darayya, a suburb of Damascus. You and your daughters, ages 2, 8 and 13, have witnessed ongoing violence. Government forces have bombed Darayya heavily because of its resistance to the current Syrian regime. You can save money from your job at the Syrian Finance Ministry, but your home has become unsafe.
It will be difficult to flee, but you know your children will be safer and happier outside Syria. While neighboring Turkey might provide temporary refuge, the most promising life awaits in western Europe. The journey, though, could take years to complete. You worry about whether you’ll be able to protect your children, even if you leave only when you have adequate funds to pay smugglers.
What would you do if you were in this situation? Pick an answer below. You’ll see how your response stacks up to others after responding.
- I would not leave my home.
- I would leave my home.
This is the story of Samar. She and her three daughters were on the road for about 14 months. They reached Turkey, but the money Samar had saved to pay smugglers was stolen. With three children to feed and nowhere to live, Samar received an offer from a smuggler with a heavy price: free travel in exchange for sex. She rebuked him, and he came to her room that night and threatened Samar and her daughters, forcing them to flee. They spent a year in Turkey before saving the money needed to continue their journey, which led them to a shelter in Berlin.
After reading Samar’s story, here’s how people responded: