What is ‘Dossier: The Counter-Movement’?
Our stories
Yemeni children growing up in the Netherlands carry two worlds within them. One they know from school; the other is kept alive at home. Their parents are fighting a silent battle that no integration course can prepare you for.
Through the ‘Wijkverbinders’ project, the Dutch Council for Refugees aims to bring asylum seekers and local residents together.
On a rainy evening, under a heavily overcast sky, I met a man in a Dutch town near the German border who had worked for the US State Department for two years, having previously spent two years in Africa in the service of the Italian government. My guest, Asmar (he would prefer that […]
In The Hague, plans for a large reception centre for asylum seekers caused a divide. A group of supporters decided to engage in dialogue with local residents.
I was born in Al-Hasakah in 1980, a Kurd on land that should have been my homeland. But for thirty-one years of my life, I was a stranger in my own country. The special census carried out by the Syrian regime in 1962 in the province of Al-Hasakah stripped tens of thousands of Kurds, including my family, of their Syrian nationality. […]
The home ground of football club VV Wildervank, in Veendam, Groningen, is buzzing with excitement following a 1–0 victory over rivals Veendam 1894. Around 1,500 fans had watched as the derby was decided by a header from striker Lourens Huizing. After the match, winners and losers mingle amicably – most of the players from both teams have lived in Veendam all their lives. That is not the case for Basiru Jallow. The 20-year-old Gambian arrived in Veendam two years ago as an asylum seeker.
Saadat attended the ceremony at which the Helen de Montigny Prize was awarded to the Dutch journalist and documentary-maker Thomas Erdbrink. Erdbrink made *Our Man with the Taliban*, a documentary series about the lives of ordinary Afghans under Taliban rule. ‘What extraordinary people.’
Following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Syria is building a new state. The question is what role women will play in it: they played a significant role during the revolution, but so far they are scarcely represented in the new political institutions.
Although Yemen could have been a wealthy oil and gas-producing country, its people are among the poorest in the world. Oil and gas production has plummeted since the start of the civil war in 2014. And whatever revenue remains is siphoned off by corrupt networks.
Esther Muwombi witnessed how sentiment changed in the Netherlands. It is incorrect, unnecessary and dangerous to blame asylum seekers and status holders for the housing crisis, the journalist, who fled from Uganda, said.
From 8 to 10 May, the Amsterdam Kurdish Film Festival at Het Ketelhuis was a meeting place for filmmakers and film lovers. The fifth edition revolved around films, music and conversations around culture, identity and the growing visibility of Kurdish cinema.
How does it feel to grow up at a crossroads of borders? “The region is like an apple cut in two halves,” writes Afghan journalist Saadat Mousavi in his poetic essay on life on the banks of the Amu Darya River.
A boat full of lives on pause floats in Haarlem. Journalist Fanuel Hailemariam captures the raw voices of people who left everything behind, now waiting for a new existence.
Near the citadel of Aleppo, Rama Murae rescues sick and abused stray animals. “Unfortunately, people don't accept cats or dogs in their residential areas,” he says.”
As a social worker, Rashwan has been helping newcomers in Wassenaar for years. For Ali and his family, he is more than a volunteer. He is a guide, a friend and someone who is always there for them. Ali: “Your presence is a comfort.”
Women's lives in Afghanistan are hugely restricted. Yet some have the resilience to find new ways to give meaning to their existence. Like Arya (24), who joined a group of young writers meeting in secret.
Ali Jawad (37) is from Lebanon and now lives in Amsterdam. Mental health is crucial for him. Without proper care, you lose your grip on life, he says. Now he helps others and urges people to vote.
Journalist Metin Cihan was blocked on X at the request of Turkish authorities, severely restricting him from continuing his important work.
Municipalities have an important role in the Netherlands. For example, they determine where houses can be built and how you can get benefits. The municipality of Amsterdam is also divided into several city districts and the city district Weesp. These city districts and the city area Weesp decide on things like the maintenance of parks and the layout of streets.
Abdulkadir Osman (25) came to the Netherlands from Somalia four years ago and has been residing in Amsterdam ever since. His path from the asylum reception centre to stable housing in the city reflects two of the main themes of the Amsterdam municipal elections on 18 March 2026: housing and integration of newcomers.
Seare Tafere (63) is from Ethiopia and has recently been living in Amsterdam. He received his residence status in 2025, when he stayed in the Netherlands for over two years. Since then, he has been looking for work, which he considers a basic necessity of life.
Jephias Mundawaro (60) is a professional engineer from Zimbabwe and former university lecturer. But despite his many attempts, he cannot harness his knowledge here.
Yodit Kidane is from Eritrea and has lived in Amsterdam Nieuw-West since 2014. She mainly counsels young people coming to the Netherlands from Eritrea, and sees how their integration is often hampered by language.
