Good morning/afternoon Mr Turnbull. My name is Miriam and I stand before you today with hope that you would allow me and my daughter to take refuge in your beautiful country Australia. I understand that many like me would like to seek asylum in your country, and you have a very busy schedule but I ask that you would at least take the time to hear my story. We refugees, are a part of humanity. Please don’t leave us behind. I come from what is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I was an activist there, and it was my aim to improve women’s rights and provide them with equal opportunities in education and pay in workplaces. To begin with, I didn’t have many supporters, but as time went on, many women became bold enough to take …show more content…
It is a terrifying place to live, a refugee camp. Have you ever had to live in one? The violence that goes on, both physical and verbal, as well as the many armed robberies, still scares me, and I wake up everyday, so thankful that me and my daughter are still alive. But I do not want to experience another terrifying ordeal, because I know we won’t be so lucky every time. We could be the next to get robbed or worse... One day, my friend, who was going through a similar situation, told me about the UNHCR, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She told me to contact them, as they were advertising for resettlement opportunities in your country. I told them about my situation and explained to them, that many refugees, like me, were being overlooked by authorities and were not receiving adequate assistance. Which brought me here, speaking to you. I feel that the hardships I have been through have made me a stronger more resilient and more determined person, who could make a fair contribution to your country. I would also be grateful if my daughter finally got the chance to complete her education, and we would be able to live