01
TOWARDS THE
DENORMALIZATION OF
REFUGEE DEATHS
When it comes to displaced populations, not
all deaths are mourned equally—if at all.

02
The 1951 Refugee Convention defines a
refugee as: “someone who is unable or
unwilling to return to their country of origin
owing to a well-founded fear of being
persecuted for reasons of race, religion,
nationality, membership of a particular
social group, or political opinion.”
WHO IS A
REFUGEE
DEFINITION
LEGALITY
"Refugees shall not be penalized solely by
reason of unlawful entry or because,
being in need of refuge and protection,
they remain illegally in a country."
According to the principle of non-
refoulement, individuals cannot be
returned to a country where they would be
at risk of irreparable harm.

03

WHAT DO
REFUGEES GRIEVE
04
Refugees experience loss and bereavement on many different levels.
Moreover, they are often stigmatized and alienated with little to no support.
"[P]resently there are no reviews documenting the
assessment of PGD in refugees and post conflict
survivors."

05
WHOSE DEATHS
DO WE GRIEVE
States and the media alike often
ignore the victims' complex
identities as members of minority
and persecuted groups,
effectively invalidating their claims
for asylum.
Turkish officer carries the body of 2-year-
old Alan Kurdi, who drowned in a failed
attempt to sail to the Greek island of Kos.

06
HOW DO WE
RESPOND
REVICTIMIZE
Revictimizing discourses perpetuate the normalization of
refugee deaths, implying people on the move are fully
responsible. This despite the proven impact of harsher
migration policies, border violence, and refusal to provide
aid on the increasing number of casualties.
Question the existence of
deathly routes
02
Crossing a border should
not mean certain death
01

WHAT ARE THE
CONSEQUENCES
07
End-of-life choices, funeral and burial services, and grief support for the
bereaved are unavailable to people on the move across borders.
People on the move are unable to decide not only
about their or their loved ones' remains but also about
how their deaths will be portrayed.

08
WHOSE
RESPONSABILITY
The states' failure to provide any kind of aid during emergencies places the
burden of death on NGOs, civic organizations, and even unprepared citizens.
The criminalization of rescue efforts has and will
continue to lead to many deaths along dangerous
routes.

09
WHO IS TAKING
A STAND
Add a little bit of bod

10
Displacement has been proven to be a
traumatic experience for people fleeing
conflict.
Focusing on the mental health of refugees
becomes even more pressing when they
are also dealing with interpersonal loss.
International engagement, humanitarian
aid, and coordinated rescue efforts on
land and sea are vital to prevent more lost
lives.
A death-positive movement that advocates for every body’s right to
autonomous death-related decisions should also stand behind the rights of
refugees and their right to lead a dignified life which, in turn, leads to a
dignified death.