Emma Muteka pushes for shift from refugee aid to opportunity

National Council deputy chairperson Emma Muteka has called for a shift in how refugee support is approached.

Speaking during a health committee site visit to a refugee camp at the ongoing Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly and related meetings in Istanbul, Türkiye, recently, Muteka stressed the need to move beyond temporary relief toward long-term empowerment.

She called for refugee interventions to create clear pathways for education, skills development, economic participation, and dignity.

Muteka said the visit offered critical first-hand insight into the realities refugees face, particularly in accessing healthcare, education, and social support systems.

She questioned whether any tangible success stories emerge from refugee camps and what becomes of children who grow up in such environments.

“Do we have children who came here as refugees, completed their education, and went on to build successful careers or businesses? What becomes of them after the camp?”

She emphasised that while addressing immediate humanitarian needs is essential, equal focus must be placed on long-term development and the future of displaced children.

“We must begin to measure success not only by survival, but by transformation. We need to know if these children are given real opportunities to grow, to succeed, and to contribute meaningfully to society,” she said.

Muteka emphasised that investing in young people is not just about responding to a crisis, but about building sustainable futures.

She called for stronger collaboration between governments and international partners to ensure refugee systems unlock potential rather than limit it.

“Every child in a refugee camp must be seen, not as a victim of circumstance but as a future leader, professional, or entrepreneur. Our responsibility is to make that future possible,” she added.

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