Honorable Mentions and Quarterly Highlights
- Asylum Access has joined Urban Refugees, Center for Refugee Solidarity, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) in a campaign to respond to the current refugee crisis by supporting urban programs in neighboring countries that offer alternatives to ongoing refugee encampment, restore dignity and provide benefit to refugees as well as the communities hosting them. Sign the petition today and help us spread the word! #NoMoreCamps
- Asylum Access celebrated its 10th Anniversary through two intimate “Intersection” dinners to honor the supporters, ideals, and programs that have impacted the lives of over one million refugees to date. View photos of the dinners here.
- AALA Director, Karina Sarmiento and Strategic Litigation Coordinator, Daniela Ubidia participated in Inter-American Commission on Human Rights hearings on protecting the rights of people under international protections in Washington DC.
- AAE staff were recently interviewed on UCSG TELEVISIÓN to talk about Ecuador’s National Week for Human Mobility, the importance of human mobility in society, and the Asylum Access agenda for promoting and realizing refugee rights.
- AAE hosted workshops with public officials and female leaders in Santo Domingo to address intra-family gender-based violence, a critical threat to refugees and other vulnerable groups in Ecuador.
- On behalf of the Migration Working Group, AAM Director Deepa Nambiar presented recommendations to the Malaysian government for the rescue of Rohingya refugees stranded offshore. Soon after, the government began carrying out the search and rescue missions.
- AAM Director Deepa Nambiar attended a roundtable event, “ASEAN Humanitarian Crisis in SEA” and presented recommendations on behalf of the Migration Working Group. The event was widely covered by local press as well as the UNHCR Malaysia Representative, representatives from the EU delegation and the Malaysian Bar Council.
- AAM Director Deepa Nambiar was invited as a speaker at a TedX event organized by the National University of Malaysia, with the theme “Be Changed or Be Undone”. Through her talk entitled “A Refugee Success Story”, Deepa spoke about the rising numbers of mass displacement globally and the challenges of refugees living in Malaysia. Through personal stories of refugees she’s worked with and examples of famous refugees around the world, she challenged the audience to view refugees not as people with needs, but people capable of contributing to the countries they arrive in through the skills, values, cultures and experiences they bring from their home countries.
- AAT’s ongoing efforts to find alternatives to detention and bail for detained refugees in Thailand led to a new policy that allows the release of children from detention without bail.
- Asylum Access Communications Officer Sandra ten Zijthoff visited the AAT office in Bangkok to document refugee stories and the work being carried out. Stay tuned for photos of her trip!
- AAMX participated in a forum on local integration and voluntary repatriation to set an agenda for the XX Regional Conference on Migration. Civil society groups from across the region came to discuss the challenges they face in supporting migrant and refugee rights.
- AALA Director Karina Sarmiento spoke at an Inter-American Commission on Human Rights roundtable discussion in Washington, DC on good practices in the defense of cases of migrants and persons under international protection promoted in Mexico and Ecuador.
- AAE Strategic Litigation Coordinator Daniela Ubidia’s article on refugee rights in Ecuador was published in the Universidad San Francisco de Quito Law Review and in Aportes Andinos, a leading academic voice on human rights issues in Ecuador. Read it now (Spanish version only) http://www.usfq.edu.ec/
- AATZ Director Janemary Ruhundwa spoke at TEDxIlala on encampment of refugees and current models of supporting displaced people. Stay tuned for a link to the video recording.
- AATZ conducted refugee rights workshops at University of Dar es Salaam to raise awareness of refugee issues and inform students on domestic and international refugee law and the refugee status determination (RSD) process in Tanzania. AATZ staff were impressed by the students’ enthusiasm and passion for human rights and will continue the partnership with the university to reach more students.
