Engaging governments on ending and preventing detention: pr - PowerPoint Presentation

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Engaging governments on ending and preventing detention: practical examples

Brussels

- 28 March 2014Slide2

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Case study: UK

Jerome Phelps – starting from scratch Let’s hear from you: how have you creatively, strategically, (successfully?) engaged your government?

Pulling it all together: Global IDC member examples

Session StructureSlide3

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Where do you see yourself? (Phillip’s ingredients)

Small groups Tell us about a strategy that you have used that has been successful?

Did it impact on other ‘ingredients’?

Did you engage with other ‘ingredients’ (deliberately? incidentally?)?

Many ingredients to make successSlide4

To work together, we’ll need different tactics. Which ones?Generate noise to get governments’ & publics’ attention

Technical planning and strategy developmentService provision methodsMonitoring fundamental rightsTo be close to refugees, migrants, asylum seekersClose connections to decision makersCoordinators, people and organisations who can bring it all together

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Detention of asylum seekers, including children, is a major concern for NGOs and UN agencies. Government and NGOs have no

dialogue

Japanese government with selected NGOs attend East Asia ATD Roundtable in South Korea– 2010Agree that detention of children is of common concern and an area to collaborate on

Release

of children from

detention – 2010 (ad hoc)

Develop a working group with NGOs to explore further possibilities for ATD – 2011

IDC Technical visit – national roundtable

Japanese government visits New Zealand to see ATD processes in practice

Pilot with NGOs

for airport arrival asylum seekers developed - Ongoing

Japan

‘We have case managers who can develop community case plans – let’s try it’Slide6

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Immigration detention is a complex problem – with race, religion, security all discussed publically as reasons for detention. With the overall situation getting worse, NGOs decided to tackle just one aspect of detention first: detention of children and families

Research the problem

Engage experts on the possible solution/s, identify actors to partner withRaise awareness: engage government in discussion in safe spaces – expert round tables, special parliament committeesPresent a practical, workable solution: National Action Plan

National and international advocacy

Public campaign

‘There are only a handful of children in detention, we’ve found a way for you to make it none’

IsraelSlide7

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Detaining over half a million people each year, with millions more undocumented in the community NGOs questioned why some were detained and not others

Detention reform process including working group and research – 2008

US Department of Homeland Security/NGO Working Group Development of risk assessment tool – 2011

Community sponsor release program between ICE and LIRS - 2013

Exploration of case management and alternatives for vulnerable groups

– Ongoing

‘We are detaining the wrong people – it’s a waste of money and tearing families apart’

United States of AmericaSlide8

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NGOs and UN agencies suspected refugees, asylum seekers, children, irregular migrants wanting to depart country are in detention (prisons) across Tanzania – but without access, how to be sure?

Survey of prisons in border areas (to begin with)

Report – who was detained?Refer – UNHCR, UNICEF, IOMProblem of screening & assessment identified – how to expand? Collaboration ongoing

‘Let us help reduce prison over crowding’

TanzaniaSlide9

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Leading NGOs came together

regularly

to agree on strategic priorities and actions.   There was not always consensus, but shared concerns and priorities.  Building relationships within the sector was crucial.Campaign on impact of detention on children and other groupsCommunity reference group established to provide input to government policy and practice

NGO identifying most vulnerable and complex cases and offered

community

shelter, supportGovernment agreed to a pilot for a small group of individuals using a risk assessment model. 3 years later rolled into a national

program

with case management as central focus

‘Detention is harming vulnerable groups – and we already know how to support people in the community’

AustraliaSlide10

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How could you apply these strategies to engaging your government on alternatives to detention?

(How can we support you – discuss this later)

Preventing and limiting detention in your countrySlide11

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Cost and resource

saving Services provided Prevention and rapid response

Assistance

with complex

cases

Transitional support including release, integration, repatriation and resettlement

assistance etc.

Benefits of collaboration

What is your message to government?Slide12

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Identify population to test

alternatives Collaboration of government and community service providers to develop, implement and monitor

Identifying

key performance

indicators

E.g cost,

compliance, health

Ensuring

essential elements: Case management,

welfare and legal support

Working group & pilot models

Lessons learnt from ATD modelsSlide13

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Cheaper

than detentionReduce overcrowding and long-term detention Reduce wrongful detention and litigationImprove health, well-being and protect

and fulfill human rights

Increase compliance with immigration requirements

Reduces the financial and human cost of immigration detention

Maximizes management and case resolution in the

community

Benefits of ATD

What is your message to government?Slide14

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Know what you want and be clear in asking for this – your solution should be part of the message

Find arguments to support your message

‘Detention harms, detention is costly, detention does not deter, there are alternatives’Consider pros and cons from

government perspective,

civil society

perspective

and look for common ground

How do you get the conversation started?

MessagingSlide15

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What

is your

government doing that you can engage with? Is there any aspect of positive practice that you can focus on?What do you think might work? Based on what you have heard from others? 

Thinking ahead (next session)Slide16

Starting point for development

Collaborate & assess

What is available? What is needed, where are the gaps?Which laws, polices and practices exist or can be extended, strengthened or created to expand community options?Establish and review pilots, e.g. training programs, issuing documentation, community awareness or case management initiatives, extending social welfare services to children, testing new screening and assessment tools. Slide17

Of the population at risk of detention:

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ow do people currently meet basic needs in the community? What services are available to this group?What conditions are placed on individuals living in the community? Are the conditions subject to review? Are they necessary, proportionate?What the gaps? How might these be addressed? What and how is information currently provided to population at risk? How to improve?What documentation is provided to population at risk? How can access and provision of documentation be increased?

Group discussion – assessing community settingSlide18

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Public campaigns?

Private advocacy?

Research?

Working groups?

Pilots and programs

Developing policy proposals?

What didn’t work?

What has worked in your country?Slide19

To work together, we’ll need different tactics. Which ones?Generate noise to get governments’ & publics’ attention

Technical planning and strategy developmentService provision methodsMonitoring fundamental rightsTo be close to refugees, migrants, asylum seekersClose connections to decision makersCoordinators, people and organisations who can bring it all together

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