SAVE the Children welcomed yesterday’s announcement that refugee status determinations have commenced for people held at the offshore processing centre on Nauru and that those found to be refugees will immediately be resettled within the community on Nauru.
Save the Children’s Director of Public Affairs & Policy Mat Tinkler said, “After many months in immigration detention, we welcome the hand down of some refugee status determinations and resettlement of some refugees in the Nauruan community. It provides some much needed clarity for refugees and their families about their immediate fate and ends a prolonged period of detention.”
“While Save the Children remains concerned about the harmful impact of prolonged detention, especially on children, we acknowledge that the governments of Nauru and Australia are working hard to prioritise the processing of refugee claims, including for unaccompanied minors.”
“The government of Australia should continue working on sustainable and permanent resettlement options for all those people held at the Nauru offshore processing centre and determined to be refugees.”
Save the Children are providing education and welfare services to refugees resettled on Nauru, and will facilitate access to accommodation, income support and employment to those who have been recognised as refugees and are temporarily settled in the Nauruan community.
“Save the Children’s resettlement services on Nauru will draw upon more than 60 years of experience providing community and outreach services to vulnerable children, families and communities throughout Australia and the world,” Mr Tinkler added.
“It is core business for Save the Children to help children in need, wherever they may be. We will work closely with the Government of Nauru, the Nauruan community and the Australian Government to ensure that the process of resettlement on Nauru is as effective and harmonious as possible, in the circumstances.”
Source: Save the Children
Ryan Fritz
Ryan Fritz started The Advocate in 2014 to provide not-for-profits and charities another media platform to tell their worthwhile hard news stories and opinion pieces effortlessly. In 2020, Ryan formed a team of volunteer journalists to help spread even more high-quality stories from the third sector. He also has over 10 years experience as a media and communications professional for not-for-profits and charities and currently works at Redkite, a childhood cancer charity.