Alaa is a young 27-year-old woman from Iraq. Her migration story started in 2006 when she had to leave her home country with her family to move to Syria in search of peace, stability, and tranquility. She graduated from high school in Damascus just as the civil war broke out in Syria. It made her life difficult, but she also was able to begin working on issues she was passionate about. She started working with IOM and UNHCR in migrant and refugee camps. However, in 2012 her family had to move once again. This time they came to Georgia.

Alaa decided to reflect upon her journey and try to focus on positive aspects as much as possible in order to serve as a positive role model for other migrants. After moving to Georgia, she and her family established a language school. The first language they taught was Georgian for Arabic speakers. Obviously it was a great opportunity for them to delve deeper into Georgian culture, as well as to reflect upon and share their own culture and traditions. Besides, it was a most important practical support for them for communication and integration with locals.

In the meantime, Alaa continued her education in Tbilisi. Currently she is doing her Master’s in Public Relations at the International Black Sea University. She continues working on migration issues and collaborates with organizations such as IOM and UNHCR as well as several NGOs working on similar topics. She has also managed to finalize her divorce and leave an abusive marriage behind.

Alaa did not let COVID-19 negatively affect her life. During the quarantine she began translating Georgian songs and stories into Arabic. She is also working on a booklet which compiles the most important words needed for foreigners visiting Georgia for the first time in the Arabic and Georgian languages, in order to support multicultural relationships, especially for the new generation.

After the pandemic is over Alaa plans to stay in Tbilisi with her child and continue her work and studies. Here she will also keep striving to reach one of her dreams: teaching migrants the Georgian language through her booklets.

The COVID-19 pandemic is first and foremost a health crisis. The virus remains a threat- not people, not migrants, and not stranded, or displaced persons. The pandemic is borderless; people are affected regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, religion or status.

And yet, the pandemic is having an unprecedented and devastating impact on migration, human mobility, and displacement, both in terms of regimes for border and migration management, and the situation of all people on the move. 

Migrants are not inherently more vulnerable to, or at heightened risk of, contracting infectious diseases. Rather, it is the conditions in which they migrate, live or work that influence or compound health risks, including access to health services.

Facing disruption to travel plans, a loss of income, reduced access to support services, and illness as a result of the crisis, or visa challenges, many migrants have been pushed into vulnerable or exploitative situations. Families have been separated, others have been detained. Women and girls are at a disproportionate risk to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), abuse and exploitation.

Migrants provide an immense contribution to societies, and will be essential for the recovery process. If migrants are left behind, however, the health impact of COVID-19, as well as its social and economic consequences for both countries of origin and destination may be more severe and protracted.

This pandemic has revealed how none will be safe until all are safe.  And this requires a shared and collective interest in the safety and well-being of all.
 

Photo by Eric Gourlan

Interview by NGO Migration Center

SDG 3 - Good Health and Well Being
SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth
SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
 

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