Refugees

Ben & Jerry’s has teamed up with the International Rescue Committee to call on our fans to support a historic piece of legislation that would help refugees resettle safely in Europe. The landmark legislation currently being discussed by our representatives in the EU could provide safe and legal routes for refugees to find safety and rebuild their lives, and just ONE email from you could make all the difference!

2017 is a crucial year. A landmark agreement discussed by the EU gives our leaders an opportunity to come together and agree on a coordinated, humanitarian response to the refugee crisis that has been unfolding in Europe since 2015. Many refugees have been uprooted from their homes due to war and violence, and have been forced to put their lives on hold in a country away from home – but the resettlement law can help. The legislation, aka the ‘Union Resettlement Framework’ would provide a framework, and set targets, for European countries to resettle refugees, with a focus on resettling the most vulnerable, and removing the need for dangerous journeys.

Although the UK is getting ready to leave the EU, our MEPs still have a huge opportunity to help provide a safe legal home for the most vulnerable refugees. British MEPs are still in their jobs and have influence on the process, including one British MEP, Claude Moraes who chairs the most important committee to pass the progressive piece of legislation! This is our chance to do something good for refugees before we go, and crucially offers the chance to push for real change on an international level, something which will bring momentum in the fight for fairer treatment of those that have had to flee their homes.

Resettlement offers refugees the chance to find safety and rebuild their lives. It offers a route to safety for the most vulnerable refugees by identifying them in their first country of refuge and offering them a safe route to permanent protection in Europe. Once refugees arrive, local authorities and local communities are involved in supporting them, whether it’s learning the English language, help to find work, or integrating children into schools.

Yes, we believe it can! There are countless examples of when people speaking out in a collective voice has influenced political change and policy. We launched Together For Refugees because we believe there is a huge potential right now for people urge politicians to provide safety for refugees. Our representatives in the EU don’t recieve emails from their constituents very often, and people power and public pressure can make a big difference!

While we are focusing on the legal framework to allow refugees to resettle in Europe, there are many grassroots initiatives out there that offer the opportunity get involved at a community level through fundraising, volunteering or even mentoring refugees. Check out this page to see how you can get involved!

Although the UK is getting ready to leave the EU, our MEPs still have a huge opportunity to help provide a safe legal home for the most vulnerable refugees. British MEPs are still in their jobs and have influence on the process, including one British MEP, Claude Moraes who chairs the most important committee to pass the progressive piece of legislation!

The UK has always had an opt out of EU laws that affect control of our borders, but  this does not stop the government from coordinating rules with other EU countries and applying similar laws in UK legislation.