Resignation Syndrome

Political unrest and violence, as well as environmental crises, have created a refugee problem of epic proportions today. The movement of refugees—who include asylum seekers and economic migrants, in search of better economic opportunity, peace and security—has become a reality we must actively engage with. As multiple researchers and research studies have argued, it is always
the women and children who suffer the disproportionate consequences of natural calamities, religious or political persecution, or wars.

Adú (2020), a recent Spanish film, captures the tragic journey of a young child travelling from Cameroon to Spain in search of refuge. Hollywood film The Good Lie (2014) narrates the story of four Bible-carrying siblings who travel from South Sudan to the United States with the help of a Christian charity. These films portray these odysseys as tragic events and capture human suffering, but they don’t focus on the psychological issues that these refugee children carry inside them. It is clear that the camera has not been trained on mental health issues.