The General Election is on the horizon. The demonisation of migrants, including refugees, is growing. Hate is taking hold. The time to act is now.
Migration advocacy rarely looks at the construction of migrants through an intersectional lens, or how racism shapes the idea of who is welcome. That’s why we have to be honest about who immigration policies are aimed at, and why. We cannot effectively tackle divisive language unless we expose the root of migration rhetoric including colonialism, climate change and Western intervention.
But we can’t do this alone. Real change can only happen if we stand in solidarity with migrants and make conscious commitments to defy divisive rhetoric. That’s why we’ve launched our Words Matter manifesto, which sets out five key steps we all must take to defy hostile narratives around people seeking safety or a new life in the UK.
Five ways to defy the narrative:
- Hold the powerful to account
- Champion new, compassionate language
- Expose prejudice and division
- Give power to migrants
- Start meaningful conversations for change
We cannot remain indifferent to the negative and divisive rhetoric any longer because being apathetic or indifferent directly enables anti-migrant and refugee narratives.