Settlement Experience of Rohingya Men

This study was conducted to identify the barriers and protective factors for Rohingya men settling in a mid-sized Southwestern Ontario city. Men who have resettled in this city in the last couple of years as Rohingya refugees originally from Myanmar, were interviewed with support from a local community center to shed light on their resettlement experiences. Analysis of the interview data was conducted using thematic analysis. Four themes emerged, including: employment and financial stability; education and language skills; settlement services and government support; safety and equality; freedom and rights; comparison to previous life circumstances; community and sense of belonging and gratitude and appreciation. Results indicated that at a broad oversight level, government policies are in place to support refugees in resettling. At levels closer to the individual, in enacting these policies, men face several barriers to resettlement.