The “Off” session of the Rencontres : rethinking refugee reception in France – Lessons from Ukrainian exiles

Titled “Rethinking refugee reception in France: governance, health, and housing. What lessons can be learned from ukrainian exiles?”, this event provided an opportunity to combine scientific knowledge with the realities of operational challenges. Six researchers awarded grants by the Foundation, along with several professionals from the French Red Cross, shared and contextualized their expertise during two roundtable discussions. Moderated by Marie-Caroline Saglio-Yatzimirsky, Director of the Institut Convergences Migrations, these discussions addressed issues related to governance, health, and housing, drawing on recent experiences and studies.

The event began with a presentation by Catherine Wihtol de Wenden, Emeritus Research Director at CNRS, who provided an overview of the general context of migration in France. She highlighted the humanitarian challenges involved in welcoming Ukrainian refugees and emphasized the need to draw lessons from this experience to inform public policies.

The first roundtable, dedicated to the health of Ukrainian refugees, explored the specific challenges they face. It brought together five panelists :

• Ludovic Joxe, a sociologist, highlighted the obstacles to the continuity of healthcare for Ukrainian exiles, including administrative and cultural barriers
• Armelle Klein, also a sociologist, examined the specific vulnerabilities of refugees, particularly the insufficient consideration of their unique needs and the lack of qualified personnel to address them.
• Giovanni Matera, a sociologist, focused on the risks of mental health issues being overlooked in these populations, which are often ignored in traditional reception frameworks.
• Tétiana Stoianova, a legal scholar, presented her research on the effects of social isolation, particularly in terms of mental health and domestic violence, while proposing tailored evaluation tools for Ukrainian refugees.
• Manon Ebras, Program Manager for Croix-Rouge Initiatives at the French Red Cross, concluded the roundtable by offering an operational perspective on the actions carried out by the organization.

The second roundtable focused on governance and the methods of a reception process that, due to its exceptional yet limited nature, raises questions about the conditions of asylum in France. It brought together four panelists :

• Isabelle Delorme, a contemporary historian, analyzed the diversity of French stakeholders involved in refugee reception, emphasizing the importance of coordination between public and private initiatives. She also presented their interactions in a synthesized graphical format.
• Jordan Pinel, a geographer, studied the surge of solidarity, particularly in rural areas, where private hospitality plays a key role.
• Camille Schmoll, a geographer, explored the settlement trajectories of refugees in France, highlighting the dynamics of migration, reception, and socialization that facilitate integration.
• Valentine Guérif, Project Manager for “Asylum and Refugee Integration” within the French Red Cross’s “Combating Exclusion” division, addressed challenges and solutions in this domain.

The Vice-President of the French Red Cross Foundation, Françoise Fromageau, who is also President of the Brittany Regional Delegation of the French Red Cross, concluded the event by affirming the relevance of the analyses presented. Drawing on her field experience as a physician, she emphasized the importance of a coordinated and inclusive approach to sustainably improving refugee reception.

This event brought together scientific, historical, and operational perspectives to enrich the discussion and adapt actions related to reception policies in France. The speakers’ contributions underscored the need to strengthen cooperation between institutional actors and civil society, in a people-centered approach.

The Foundation shared that the opening of the event was marked by an unexpected activist action in the auditorium where the roundtable discussions were held, led by the collective Action des Jeunes du Parc de Belleville. The primary objective of this intervention was to raise awareness among the public about the living conditions and reception of unaccompanied minors and to challenge the authorities. The collective’s speech also marked the beginning of the occupation of the Gaîté Lyrique premises, with a central demand: “The right to housing, health, and education,” as highlighted by AFP. Following a speaking opportunity granted by the organizers, both the public and the speakers expressed their desire to continue with the planned program, incorporating the issues raised while emphasizing the importance of respectful dialogue

A very special thank you to our colleagues of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society for the amazing and very moving photos they shared with us for this event and which were displayed throughout the conference