1. Refugee Action – Basis Project Refugee community organisations – roles, potential and challenges SE Funders Forum 10 Dec 09
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5. “ In Britain, half a million ___________ find their home. They are never persecuted and in many respects they are given favoured treatment here. But now... they are overrunning the country.” Q1: Who said this, about whom and when?
29. Where RCOs are 54 Source: Refugee Community Organisations in England- Realising Potential- Report by Refugee Action and Refugee Council July 2007. The numbers for SE are organisations in RA’s current database of RCOs
30. RCOs’ income Source: Refugee Community Organisations in England- Realising Potential- Report by Refugee Action and Refugee Council. July 2007
31. RCO diversity Refugee Community Organisations in England- Realising Potential- Report by Refugee Action and Refugee Council. July 2007
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38. Any questions? Beatriz Fernandez [email_address] Basis Project South East Region Refugee Action
Editor's Notes
Jews’, 1938, Sunday Express. Hostile media coverage and public opinion is nothing new. Even when Jewish refugees were fleeing hostility in the 1930s, there was hostile media coverage in many newspapers. Metaphors of flooding and overrunning started way back then! When refugee issues are debated, the arrival of Jews in the UK during the Second World War is often highlighted as an example of the UK providing a ‘welcome’. However, we often forget that many Jews were refused permission to enter the UK and those that did arrive here often faced hostility and discrimination.
In 2007, the top five countries of origin for asylum applicants to the UK were Afghanistan, Iran, China, Iraq, Eritrea. Then Zimbabwe, Somalia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nigeria. These are all countries with recent histories of war or human rights abuses. Afghanistan: factional fighting, warlords, suicide attacks, gender persecution, death penalty Iran: Persecution of minority groups (ethnic, religious, gender, sexual orientation), lack of political freedom (including the right to peaceful protest), arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment in detention, discriminatory laws and practices, repression of the media, death penalty. China: one-party state, political repression, media repression, restrictions on freedom of expression, death penalty, persecution of religious and ethnic minorities. Iraq: Fighting between armed groups, military occupation, suicide attacks, kidnapping, assassinations, attacks on civilians, death penalty Eritrea: religious persecution, death penalty, political repression, arbitrary arrests, imprisonment and torture, border tensions, detention, repression of the media, compulsory national service, suppression of human rights groups. Somalia: Civil war, warlords, state collapse, factional fighting, kidnappings, threats to human rights defenders, rape of minority clan women, death penalty.
This slide is for information only rather than detail. Main aim is familiarity with the terms as under the banner of ‘asylum seeker’, ‘refugee’, ‘refused asylum seeker’. Very important: with the new bill (2005) it is likely that refugees will only get status for five years. This could have a large impact on their access to loans and other services which will aid business set-up. Refugee Status (5 years as of IAN 2006) Humanitarian Protection (5 years- Human Right basis due to things like civil war, the death penalty) Discretionary Leave to Remain (3 years - e.g., unaccompanied children)
The process makes it difficult for refugees to establish: refugee status to enable them to work, finances, location, skills, networks for business support. Warning - legislation changes: the asylum system changes particularly quickly, legalities can change very quickly. This may effect the length of stay in the UK which has implications for business set-up or make the application process more stressful for the applicant. It may actually make the process better. But this has yet to been seen. Trust and confidentiality: Because of bad experiences with officials in country of origin or indeed here in the UK through the asylum process, refugees are often suspicious of authority. Establishing a sense of trust and confidentiality will be essential. Documents: The flight of refugees often means they leave without extensive documentation. This can be very problematic for their progress through the asylum system, exacerbating the concerns on the slide. Also it can mean that they find it difficult to establish themselves within UK housing, banking and employment sectors.
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