The Story of the Survey
On Wednesday evening, August 14, 2024, a survey was posted among Syrian refugees in a public Facebook group, "Voices of the Syrian People," by a Syrian refugee in Lebanon. The survey asked, "What do you think about choosing Mr. Qusay for our mission to convey our voices for the safety and education of our children?" Participation in the survey, whether "agree" or "disagree," was open to everyone, group members or non-members, for 72 hours.
اللغة العربية
The Reason Behind the Survey, From My Perspective
I believe the survey was initiated after a group of Syrian refugees in Lebanon felt there was no one to follow up on their situations or express their challenges, needs, and demands. These refugees had previously expressed through comments and posts their need for someone to bring their voices to the public and relevant entities and figures. It seems the survey was conducted to find a person capable of fulfilling this role, and my name was proposed for the task.
Additionally, on August 10, 2024, another survey was posted in the same Facebook group, asking, "Do you agree with choosing a person to convey the voice of Syrian refugees and express their challenges, needs, and demands to the public and institutions concerned with human life and rights?" The result of this survey was that 96% chose "yes," and many participants mentioned my name to take on this responsibility.
On May 29, 2024, a Syrian refugee, who is an admin of a group that connects Syrian refugees in Lebanon with around 68,000 members on Facebook, posted the following question: "I would like to make a proposal and see your opinions. Should we ask the UN to choose a popular Syrian person among Syrian refugees in Lebanon to speak on behalf of the refugees in Lebanon to convey their suffering, pain, and needs? I ***** want your respectful opinions and comments. We need someone to speak for us." The comments reflected the need for this role, with demands that the person should be competent, skilled, and transparent. Some participants also mentioned my name as a suitable person for this task.
Moreover, on May 28, 2024, a child from a Syrian refugee family in Lebanon posted a video on TikTok expressing the difficult conditions and the urgent need for help amidst the lack of response from concerned humanitarian organizations. This video had a significant impact, as it highlighted the plight of Syrian refugee children in a powerful way. The child specifically asked me to be the voice that conveys their suffering and aspirations to the world. This incident and others highlight the urgent need for someone to speak out about the critical challenges facing refugees and to defend their fundamental rights and freedoms.
A Call for More Participation
Believing in the importance of transparency and involving a wide and diverse segment of refugees, I reshared the survey on my page and in several other Facebook groups, whose followers and members total over 468,000 combined. The goal was to provide a greater opportunity for participation in decision-making and to emphasize the importance of such initiatives in driving change.
Final Results
On Saturday evening, August 17, 2024, the survey was closed with 416 participants. The results showed that 96% of the participants chose "agree," while 4% chose "disagree."
The Human Rights Aspect
Refugees, like any other group, are entitled to their basic human rights under international human rights law, whether or not the host country is a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention. These rights include the right to freedom of opinion and expression, peaceful assembly, self-determination, and public participation. They also include the right of refugee children to freely express their views on all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken into account. This survey reflects the refugees’ exercise of their right to express their opinions and to participate in decisions that affect their future and the future of their children.
The Importance of Public Participation
The right to public participation is a human need that contributes to promoting social justice and protecting human dignity. Refugees, like any other group, need a voice that represents them and highlights their living and human rights challenges and fundamental freedoms, especially in light of the deprivation of the most basic necessities of daily life, the rapid deterioration of their conditions, and the lack of sustainable solutions in the foreseeable future. Therefore, it becomes essential to amplify their voices. Effective participation can help improve their living conditions and ensure their access to basic rights and services.
Note
Many refugees may have abstained from participating in the survey for various reasons, such as fear of expressing their opinions, loss of hope that this participation could lead to actual change, or maintaining privacy, especially since Facebook allows the identification of survey participants. Nonetheless, the results reflect the desire of a group of Syrian refugees to have a voice that expresses their challenges, suffering, needs, and demands.
In Conclusion
I thank all the participants in the survey. I appreciate your trust and support, and your call for me to take on the responsibility of conveying the voices of marginalized and deprived groups. I will do my utmost to live up to your expectations!