International social enterprise Seefar has launched a five-month new anti-stigma campaign which empowers migrants to make informed decisions on migration, a press release said Saturday.
The campaign aims to help Bangladeshi migrants returning from Europe to access psychosocial support, and works with communities to aid their successful reintegration back into society.
Some 200 returnees will be eligible to receive a free and confidential psychosocial counselling session from The Migrant Project’s experienced and professional counselling team. Returnee migrants can avail of this counseling service by filling a form online.
The campaign will also work with communities to better understand the unique challenges facing returnees and reduce the social stigma experienced upon return.
Research by Seefar, a social enterprise specialising in migration, shows that Bangladeshi irregular migrants who return home after a failed migration attempt to reach Europe often face stigma.
A study in 2021 by Seefar found that almost half of migrants returning to Bangladesh face shame and stigma, and are rejected by their family and community. Those who return empty handed with no money or savings are often viewed as “failed” migrants and shunned by their communities and even families. Many returnees also suffer from emotional trauma due to abuse and exploitation experienced abroad.
In 2021, almost 9,000 Bangladeshis entered the EU irregularly, according to a study by Seefar. Whereas, due to Covid-19 pandemic many migrants were forcibly returned from Europe.
A study by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that 96percent of Bangladeshi migrants returning abroad suffer from a lack of job opportunities, insufficient income, and financial problems.
