Group Members: Adriana, Martins, Jose, Vicente and Samuel

Asylum Aid and Internet; The effective combination towards success

Asylum Aid is a very well organized non-governmental organization (NGO). In the last 20 years Asylum Aid has grown and spread widely within the United Kingdom. Their strategy, making great emphasis in the use of internet as their main tool, has been more than successful Targeting Migrants and refugees not just in the UK but abroad. We have to make clear that a NGO as Asylum Aid it is not dedicated just for the migrants or their interests of seeking refuge in the UK; but at the same time for UK citizens with concerns towards the asylum or migration of non-UK citizens and as a very important part of their assignment to influence governmental migration policies . The aim of this research it is to asses the impact internet has in nowadays daily life and the importance of this 20th century tool for NGOs to address objectives that decades ago were impossible to target in such a small period of time and with such successful results.
Asylum Aid has stated their mission: independence from any governmental institution, in other words complete sovereignty, action and policies to be implemented through internet with pressure from none one but the migrants seeking for refugee or asylum. A national UK charity identified with human rights protection and against any abuse of any kind of threat towards them.
Asylum Aid works hand by hand with the Home Secretary, the Minister for Immigration, The Solicitor General, the Chief Executive of the UK border agency and with senior UKBA and Legal Services Commission officials.
In it is website, Asylum Aid, has a friendly structure of six main topics, each based and supported with clear information. Each presents useful information for asylum seekers, as 1) information about Asylum Aid, their mission, their aims and values. 2) Advice and how to get it, timetables of their telephone contact line, office address in case of need it, but more importantly the whole information of how asylum seekers will be help, Asylum Aid states ‘confidential and independent legal advice and representation’ as the important message. 3) A project specialized in women, which always are the one’s who suffer the most, the project activities for them, sample videos, CDs, DVDs, links to more exact information about their campaigning or training workshops; a link to what Asylum Aid targeted as ‘Every Single Woman’ and also a film it is showed. 4) Publications, Policy and Campaigns it is the next topic addressed; the organization tackle here very important information as how they are working in current campaigns as the one of ‘every single women’, a variety of their publications, annual reports, recent cases, networks within many others links. 5) Crucial is the fifth topic, ‘how to get involve’, donations, volunteering and funding is the main objective and a range of explanations of how the money will be spend. 6) Finally the Asylum Rights Watch mainly for contact purposes either of asylum seekers or for professional contact.
It is important to mention the structure of their website (six points above), because in an era of globalization, where communicating with people around the world in seconds, is simple, quick and effective; Asylum Aid has based great part of their progress in it. As it is showed in their 2009 online report, Asylum Aid mention internet and the impact of it as a progress on ‘making the asylum process in the UK more gender-sensitive’, ending what they called ‘the enforced destitution of people seeking asylum’ and of ‘enhancing the quality of UKBA decisions by improving early access to legal representation’. Therefore internet nowadays has been crucial for the NGO and it is progress to facilitate the contact with asylum seekers and with the effective work made towards the creation of an influence in the government and it is migration policies.
In sum Internet nowadays it is not anymore just crucial for our everyday life, but at the same time is of great importance for the widely spread of objectives and challenges to help people been abused abroad and to target the challenges of our great future.

Interview at Migrant Rights Network

First Impressions of the group members after the interview

So what a better place than the internet itself to clear people’s minds about this topic all at once and anywhere in the world?

This is just a summarised opinion I created when reading the publication at the Migrants Rights Network webpage about the “Irregular migrants- the urgent need for a new approach”.

It became obvious to me the importance of the migrants to the people working at this NGO. They focus their research on the situation around the UK; the way the information is shared is very good and simple to understand. For example, although I live in the UK for more than 5 years now (therefore being alert to all news there are about immigration policies and changes towards it is key for me), I notice many facts I never knew before such as that of the many illegal migrants in the UK actually come into the country legally and only become illegal or seek for asylum due to better social conditions here.

This publication also clarifies and tries to break up the taboo that the UK is the only country still allowing migrants to seek asylum, by explaining that is not only the UK ‘suffering’ with the increase flow of migrants but various countries in the European Union and the USA as well- this is just one more example of how well the internet can be used as a tool to help migrants. This and other NGOs webpage’s are not exclusively for migrants themselves but for everyone who has doubts about the topic and nothing better than the internet to actually expose such information.

They also criticise the methods used by the government to try and stop migrants from reaching the island. For them these attitudes just cause for the country to become their final target. They argue that is neither by spending almost £8 billion creating detention centres nor removing all migrants that will solve the problem, and even if it does solve the problem it would take decades. This money could actually be used to help these migrant to integrate in the society and also become possible tax payer who will help boosting the economy; thing which they already do since they gain money by doing the jobs many nationals do not like to do, such as cleaning, farming, work in factures, and many others. So what a better place than the internet itself to clear people’s minds about this topic all at once and anywhere in the world?

http://www.migrantsrights.org.uk/downloads/policy_reports/irregularmigrants_summarypamphlet.pdf

Refugee Action And Their Use Of Internet

Refugee Action has a complete website, with information of the different areas of their operation as an NGO.
On one hand, they use the Internet to provide information directly to asylum seekers. With one click, refugees can access to different services in more than 20 languages. Basically, they can find information related with:

• Information about the support of Section 4 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act, a way to get assistance, as accommodation for instance.
• The support and accommodation to which people are entitled depending on their immigration status
• Information about the necessary and valid documentation for an asylum interview
• Information dedicated exclusively to women asylum seekers, as domestic violence for instance.
• The telephone number of a helpline

On the other hand, they use Internet as a way to let know to possible contributors about these targets, which are:
• The provision of high quality reception, advice and information to refugees and asylum seekers
• The promotion of development for refugee communities
• The improvement of the access to employment and mainstream services for asylum-seekers.
• Raise awareness, influence policy, and campaign for refugee rights

General Information: http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/campaigns/InfluencingPolicy.aspx
Asylum assistance: http://www.refugee-action.org.uk/information/downloads.aspx

European Integration Fund: Call for proposals 2009

http://ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2010/255022/66-eif-call-for-proposals

Eventhough our prime focus is on how NGOs’ influence on (government’s) immigration policy, Government agencies like the Home Office; UK Border Agency (official government body in charge of immigration) on the other hand is using the internet to reach its target audience including NGOs and the public at large.

The web link above shows a call for proposals for the European Integration Fund giving detailed information on grants and relevant contacts.

This in my view makes information exchanges very easy, efficient and enhances a speedy delivery of a more balanced immigration policy.

Stop destitution among refused asylum seekers campaign

According to Refugee Action website, the present government cuts off the accommodation and financial support to asylum seekers, 21 days after a final claim is refused, producing a worrying destitution.
An example is the case of Ibrahim, who was an opposition activist in Darfur. He fled to the UK after his family suffered violent attacks from armed men due to his political activities at university. His initial claimed was refused by the British government for lack of evidence after receiving poor legal advice, turning into a destitute refugee.
However, he didn’t go back to Sudan, because of the unsafely circumstances. Instead he decided to stay in the UK, sleeping in railway stations. Months later, he was able to find proper legal advice, put a new claim, getting refuge legal status this time.
Ibrahim managed to solve his problem. Now he has a legal residence status. However, many refugees, living in the UK are still destitue.

Refugee Action has made short film, that was uploaded to their youtube channel and their facebook site featuring different asylum seekers victims of destitution, talking about the impacts of it on their lives and their fears of returning home. Dave Garrat, director of operations of Refugee Action, also takes part on the film, to talk about this problem.

Short Film. The Destitution Trap: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-3lMOB4io