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Three refugees who have found asylum in the UK speak about their experiences. Isa fled from the war in Chechnya, and has just been granted asylum. Xhejlane fled from the war in Kosovo and is still waiting for a decision on her case. Chiek came to the UK from the Ivory Coast and his application has been declined.

Use the information as a base for investigating the definitions of key phrases including ‘refugee’, ‘asylum seeker’, ‘illegal immigrant.’ Some confusion surrounds the distinctions between these terms. Use as a starting point for a study into the structure of an asylum application, together with the requirements needed to achieve asylum. Particular attention could be given to the length of time taken, treatment while awaiting results and difficulty in making decisions. Discuss the position asylum seekers have in Scotland and the UK. Students should investigate what rights and responsibilities they have and how these compare to those of existing UK citizens. What are the impacts of the social inequality they face? Debate what should be done to address any issues found.