th Anniversary conference 2 nd July 2015 Workshop Raising Refugee Womens Voices Why women flee Women come to the UK to seek protection from a range of human rights abuses abroad ID: 495409
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Slide1
CDJ 50
th
Anniversary conference2nd July, 2015Workshop – Raising Refugee Women’s VoicesSlide2
Why women flee
Women come to the UK to seek protection from a range of human rights
abuses abroad. Some experiences, such as being detained for their political activities, are the same as men’s, some experiences are gender specific.Many have suffered, or are at risk of, gender persecution, including rape or sexual violence, honour crimes, forced marriage, domestic violence or female genital mutilation
in countries where the state fails to protect them.Slide3
What should the UK be doing?
UK commitments
“Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.”Article 14(1) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
Experience women seeking asylum
49% of women wait for more than 2 years for their decision (22% of men)
Home Office case owners fail to consider how trauma may affect disclosure and the ability to provide a consistent account of eventsSlide4
The need for a gendered approach - asylum
49% of global refugee population were women and girls (2013)Significant proportion persecuted because they are womenWomen and girls are less likely than refugee men and boys to have access to even the most fundamental of their rights70% of asylum seeking women experienced physical / sexual violence in their lifetimeSlide5
The need for a gendered approach - employment
Constant struggle to access employment Lack of information on employment services available Lack of specific and appropriate services for refugee women Lack of employability preparation before being granted status Slide6
Refugee Women’s Strategy Group: a force for women’s empowerment
Group of refugee and asylum seeking women
Aim is to ensure that the voices of refugee women in Scotland are heard.We work to represent the views of refugee and asylum seeking women to key decision-makers and service providersWe aim to influence the policies and practices that affect our livesSlide7
Collective
Action / Positive change
No quick fix – lack of gender sensitivity in the UK asylum system
Incremental improvements over the last four years:
Improved training on gender for asylum decision makers
Improvements in screening environment
Gender recognised as priority area for
improvement
Making Asylum Work for Women
The Struggle to Contribute and One Step Closer
Speak for Yourself engagement initiativeSlide8
SRC Women’s project model
Cyclical approach beginning with RWSG identifying needs and concerns
Skilled CD support Women’s Policy Development – conduit to and from policy arenaCo-produce outcomesSlide9
Community Development
Intervention Bringing people together
Analysis of common issuesEnsuring effective representationImpactMutual support, respect and listening to each otherStrategic use of personal experience to affect change at a policy level
Plugged into large network of refugee and asylum seeking communitiesSlide10
Community Development
Intervention Helping communities to organise and plan action
Building skills and confidence for collective actionRaising awareness among communities and decision makersImpactStakeholders recognise professional approach of group RWSG recognised as eloquent with good communication skills
Communities and decision makers more informedSlide11
Community Development
Intervention Helping to build credibility
Supporting action to affect changeSupporting commitment and motivationImpactRecognised as the most authoritative voice among refugees
Core partner in key arenas for example New Scots: Integrating Refugees in Scotland’s CommunitiesStrong motivation to keep pushing for changeSlide12
Key
lessons
Empowering practice – a rare commodityTargeted SkilledPoliticisedValue basedCreativeNurturingAnalyticalLong termCompassionate
Predominant trend in Scotland
Top down
De-politicised
Externally determined outcomes
Short time scales
Little space to nurture independent community activity or to analyse implications of decision, policies or programmesSlide13
Discussion group question
What lessons have been leaned in your experience of community development?Slide14
Reports:
Making Asylum Work for WomenThe Struggle to Contribute
One Step CloserSpeak for YourselfTackling Female Genital Mutilation in Scotland
SRC website www.src.org.uk
Contact details:
rwsg@mail.com
Fiona.ballantyne@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk
Tel: 0141 223 7961
https://
www.facebook.com/RefugeeWomenSG