REFUGEES: A GUIDE TO

WORKING WITH
VULNERABLE PEOPLE
 INTRODUCTION
For people on the move by necessity, particularly those
who have been forcibly displaced from their homes and
communities by violence and other harm, finding safe
shelter is one of the most immediate and pressing needs.
When individuals
are forced across international boundaries in search of
refuge, the resulting vulnerability and insecurity often are
heightened.

This toolkit has been designed to assist you in your role as

a volunteer working to help refugees who have arrived in
Qatar, having recently fled the conflict in Afghanistan.

CONTENTS
Pg 1 - Definitions
Pg 2 - Working with vulnerable people
Pg 3 - Humanitarian principles
Pg 4 - Safeguarding
Pg 5 - Your role as a volunteer
Pg 6 - Disclosure
Pg 7/8 - Afghan Culture
pG 9 - Ethnicity
Pg 10/11 - Do's
Pg 12/13 - Don'ts
Pg 14 - Useful resources
 DEFINITIONS
REFUGEE
"someone who is unable or unwilling to return to their country
of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for
reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a
particular social group, or political opinion."
- UN Refugee Convention 1951

ASLYUM SEEKER
"an individual who says he/she is a refugee, but whose claim
has not yet been definitely evaluated" - UNHCR

INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS

"an individual who is in need of protection but has not yet
crossed a border to find safety" - UNHCR

MIGRANT
"a person who has chosen to move not because of a direct
threat of persecution or death, but mainly to improve their
lives by finding work, or in some cases for education, family
reunion, or other reasons" - UNHCR
 WORKING WITH
VULNERABLE
PEOPLE

Migrants and refugees often faced extreme hardships

and danger in their countries of origin and during their
journeys. Disruption to familiar ways of life, lack of
information, uncertainty about immigration status,
potential hostility, changing policies, undignified and
protracted detention all add to migrants’ already
heavy burden of stress.
HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES
The four core humanitarian principles at the foundation of humanitarian work are:
HUMANITY: Human suffering must be addressed wherever it is found. The
purpose of humanitarian action is to protect life and health and ensure respect for
human beings.
NEUTRALITY: Humanitarian actors must not take sides in hostilities or engage in
controversies of a political, racial, religious or ideological nature.
IMPARTIALITY: Humanitarian action must be carried out on the basis of need
alone, giving priority to the most urgent cases of distress and making no
distinctions on the basis of nationality, race, gender, religious belief, class or
political opinions.
INDEPENDENCE: Humanitarian action must be autonomous from the political,
economic, military or other objectives that any actor may hold with regard to
areas where humanitarian action is being implemented.

These principles are enshrined in key United Nations General Assembly resolutions
establishing the international humanitarian system and underpin the definition of
what constitutes a ‘humanitarian’ response. Complementing that foundation is the
principle of “do no harm,” which obliges humanitarian actors to prevent and
mitigate the potential negative impact of their work on affected populations.
 SAFEGUARDING

AWARENESS: Ensure that everyone is aware of abuse and

the risks facing young people and vulnerable adults.

PREVENTION: Ensure that everyone minimises the risks to

young people and vulnerable adults through awareness and
good practice.

REPORTING: Ensure that everyone is clear about what steps

to take if concerns arise regarding the health and safety of
children, young people and vulnerable adults.

RESPONDING: Ensure action is taken to protect young

people and vulnerable adults where concerns are raised
about possible abuse.
 YOUR ROLE AS A
VOLUNTEER
Good Practice :
Never be alone with a young/vulnerable person
Know your role
Maintain professional boundaries
Be mindful of physical contact
Don’t put others at risk
Respect different traditions and customs
Dress code and appearance
Avoid taking photo/video, especially without permission
Report any concerns

How to talk:
With respect
Simple language
Follow their lead
Avoid asking personal questions
Avoid giving personal details
Avoid difficult topics
Do not make promises you cannot keep
 DISCLOSURE

DIRECT
Create a safe environment
Be clear that you cannot keep it secret
Do not interrupt or ask leading questions. Be
understanding.
Contact the safeguarding officer ASAP
Record all the facts exactly as you know them,
NOT your opinions

INDIRECT

Do not investigate
Speak to the safeguarding officer ASAP for
advice
Record all the facts exactly as you know them,
NOT your opinions
Follow advice as given by safeguarding lead
AFGHAN CULTURE
Afghanistan is a landlocked south-central Asian
country bordering Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is a multi-ethnic society,
containing diverse ethnic, linguistic and tribal
groups. The government is an Islamic Republic and
Islamic values, concepts and practices inform many
social and behavioural norms throughout society.

According to the most recently available estimates,

over 60% of the Afghan population is under 25 years
of age. This young age structure reflects the impact
of decades of conflict, widespread poverty, political
instability, displacement and the lack of substantial
infrastructure. Most reside in rural areas, as Afghan
culture is traditionally agricultural.

Islam is the official religion of Afghanistan and the

majority of the population is Muslim (approximately
99.7%). There are some very small residual
communities of other faiths, including Christians,
Sikhs, Hindus and Baha’i.

The Afghan government is established as a Sunni

Islamic Republic. Therefore, there is a strong societal
pressure to adhere to Sunni Islamic traditions. The
moral code of the Islamic doctrine tends to govern
the political, economic and legal aspects of an
Afghan's life. Not all Afghans are strictly observant
Muslims.
AFGHAN CULTURE
Gender roles are highly patriarchal and rigidly defined
in Afghan culture. Broadly, men dominate the public
sphere and women only have authority in the domestic
realm (over their children and other women).

There was some progress towards women’s rights

during the 20th century that modernised the attitudes
of many Afghans. However, when the Taliban came
into power, they placed extreme restrictions on
women, resulting in their seclusion and exclusion.

Greetings between people of the same gender usually

involve a handshake with the right hand.

People generally do not touch those of the opposite

gender during greetings unless they are a close family
member. Men should wait until a woman extends her
hand first before extending his own hand for a
handshake.

Men may greet women by placing their hand over their

heart and nodding. This greeting may also be used to
greet other people who you perceive are
unaccustomed to being touched.

Eye contact should be kept to a minimum during

greetings out of modesty, especially between men
and women.

A common verbal greeting is “Salam” or “Salam

alaikum”, meaning “Peace be upon you”.
 ETHNICITY
One’s ethnicity is an instant cultural identifier in Afghanistan and
usually defines people’s social organisation. The most common
ethnic groups are the Pashtuns, Tajiks and Hazaras. However,
there are also significant populations of Uzbeks, Nuristani, Aimak,
Turkmen and Baloch (among others).

Pashtuns
The Pashtun are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. Most speak
Pashto and are Sunni Muslims. Pashtun culture and social organisation
have been traditionally influenced by tribal codes of honour and
interpretations of Islamic law. This is recognised as ‘Pashtunwali’ – a
moral and legal code that determines the social expectations one
should follow to honour Islamic and cultural values.

Tajiks
The Tajiks have Persian heritage and are Afghanistan’s second largest
ethnicity. Unlike most other ethnicities, they are not tribal, their loyalty
revolves around their family and village. This is evident in the way
many Tajik last names tend to reflect their place of origin, rather than
their tribe or ethnicity. Tajiks are majority Sunni Muslim and generally
speak a dialect of Persian found in Eastern Iran.Tajiks commonly have
a high level of education and wealth which has seen them be widely
considered to be among Afghanistan’s elite.

Hazara
The Hazara people are widely understood to be one of the most
socially and politically marginalised ethnic groups in Afghanistan. They
speak a dialect of Dari known as ‘Hazaragi’ and make up the largest
Shi’a Muslim population in the country. Most Hazaras live in the central
mountain region (called the Hazarajat) and in certain districts of Kabul.
The Hazaras have been persecuted by Pashtun leaders, civil warlords,
the Taliban, ISIS and others due to their Shi’a Muslim beliefs.
 DO'S
Be sensitive to the experiences that Afghan refugees
have endured. There is a high occurrence of anxiety,
depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among
those that have witnessed the loss of their family and
friends. Many Afghans that have fled to Western
countries have had their entire home/village destroyed
by the Taliban or other forces, and do not possess any
memorabilia.

If the opportunity arises, offer sympathy regarding the

current situation in their home country. Afghans are
likely to deeply appreciate the gesture and respond with
warmth. However, be sensitive not to push for details of
their personal experiences in Afghanistan.

Recognise that experiences of persecution differ

between ethnicities and be aware that members of
minority ethnicities may prefer to identify by their ethnic
affiliation overseas (e.g. Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, etc.).
Pashtuns are much more likely to identify solely as
“Afghan”, as it is historically synonymous with “Pashtun”
(see Ethnicity in the Core Concepts).

Be aware that individuals who have been the target of

religious persecution may prefer not to discuss faith.

If you are a man, wait for an Afghan woman to initiate a

handshake or conversation before doing so yourself.
If you are a woman in Afghanistan, wait for your
male accompaniment to introduce you to another
man before engaging with him (be that shaking
his hand, speaking to him or making direct eye
contact).

If in a group of Afghan men and women in public,

expect the males to talk to each other without the
females engaging in conversation after
introductions. They may only feel comfortable
talking to their own gender once they are
together alone.
 DON'TS
Do not call Afghans “Arabs” or “Middle Eastern”.
Afghanistan is not located in the Middle East. It is a
South Central Asian country composed of many
different ethnicities, none of which are Arab.

Avoid mentioning the topics of ethnic tension,

politics, the Taliban, warfare or women’s rights
unless your counterpart initiates the conversation or
you have a close relationship with them. These are
sensitive subjects in Afghanistan and such
discussions can lead a person to recall negative
experiences.

Do not assume that all Afghan Muslims follow a

conservative interpretation of Islam. The official
position of many Afghan religious leaders does not
reflect the interpretations of all Afghan people. For
example, not all Afghan Muslim women living in
other countries wear the hijab.

Avoid asking questions that assume Afghan people

are uneducated or uncivilised, such as “Do you have
phones in Afghanistan?”. Many Afghan migrants
living in English-speaking countries are skilled,
educated, urbanised and familiar with the
technologies of the developed world.
Avoid telling dirty jokes or making fun of someone
in a humiliating way. Such humour is unlikely to be
appreciated.

Avoid losing your temper or complaining

about petty things that are not overly
significant. Afghans are very resilient and stoic
people. Struggle is constantly put into
perspective in light of those still experiencing
extremely violent and dire conditions in
Afghanistan, as well as those who have passed
away. Therefore, people are expected to
control their emotions, be patient and
composed.

Do not push an Afghan to tell you about their

family. Some people have been separated from
relatives or had family members killed. Others
may be hesitant to talk about the family they
have left in Afghanistan out of fear that it
could endanger them.
 USEFUL RESOURCES
• European Parliament Directorate-General for Internal Policies –
Female refugees and asylum seekers: the issue of integration
• Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health – The contribution
of a gender perspective to the
understanding of migrants’ health
• Refugee Action – Facts about refugees
• Sport Inclusion Network Women – Equal access and participation of
migrant women and girls in sport
• UEFA – Football and refugees: Addressing key challenges
• UNHCR – Global Trends: Forced displacement in 2019
• Women for Refugee Women and Bloody Good Period – The effects
of ‘period poverty’ among refugee and asylum-seeking women
• Women for Refugee Women: Will I Ever Be Safe? Asylum-seeking
women made destitute in the UK
Training
• Amnesty International – Human rights: The rights of refugees
• Amnesty International – Training webinar: Football, women and girls
from refugee backgrounds;
a welcoming community