Removal of Refugee Protections: Impact on Refugee Education, Mental Health, Coping, and Advocacy

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of the removal of refugee protections on refugee education and mental health, in addition to the protective roles of advocacy, community, and religion. We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven Chin refugees from Myanmar who were refugee school leaders in Malaysia (mean age = 23; 57% female); we also interviewed four Malaysian citizens, with expertise in refugee education (mean age = 35; 100% female). We conducted follow-up interviews with five of the Chin participants. We found that (a) Chin refugees were deeply concerned about how removal of protections impacted refugee education, fears of refoulement, and the well-being of their refugee education community; (b) Logistical, community, and emotional support played a protective role; and (c) An unprecedented multi-step advocacy process by the Chin community contributed to successful reinstatement of their refugee protections, including protections for their refugee schools. Discussion addresses the importance of pre-consultation school research on policy impacts and advocacy with marginalized school communities prior to starting consultation, with a focus on how refugee community protective factors and advocacy can act as forms of resilience in the face of negative policy impacts on education and mental health.