Thursday 3 July - LISG Members at the Freedom Without Fear Platform, University of London.

Thursday 3 July - LISG Members Aderonke and Jacqueline are taking part in the Freedom Without Fear Platform at Birkbeck, University of London.   

The platform will bring diverse groups together to explore the experience of BME women struggling for justice and how BME women and women’s organisations can best get their voices heard.

LISG members will speak about the struggles women are facing with asylum and immigration systems, including detention centres run by private sector corporations and the surveillance and control non-British national women are increasingly subjected to. 

For more information check out the event Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/659522520801629/

LISG members inform Inspection of the Home Office’s Handling of Asylum Claims based on Sexual Orientation

Earlier this month LISG members met with the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration to offer insight and feedback on their experiences of seeking sanctuary in the UK. 

The Inspection of the Home Office’s Handling of Asylum Claims based on Sexual Orientation is a direct commission from the Home Secretary. Our feedback will be incorporated into a report which will inform the way in which the Home Office handles asylum claims based on sexual orientation in the future.

Our members raised concerns regarding the way in which the Home Office conducts asylum interviews; the lack of information give about the process and the implications of each stage of an asylum claim; the culture of disbelief around seeking asylum based on sexuality – proportionately higher asylum rejection rates; how one tiny inconsistency given in an interview e.g. about a specific date will be jumped upon as evidence that the whole asylum claim is bogus; the use of detention centres where victims of gender violence are managed by male private sector guards; how women are left in detention centres for months and years.

We look forward to reading the report and hope that it will have a positive impact on Home Office practices and policies.

ORAM's LGBTI Refugee Project Portal

This looks really interesting, we’ve also added details to our Links page:

 

 

ORAM - the Organization for Refuge, Asylum and Migration has launched an online portal to help official bodies and NGOs share approaches to protecting LGBTI refugees, and to adopt best practices in the face of rising persecution of LGBTI people globally.

The LGBTI Refugee Project Portal showcases projects and approaches that enhance the protection of LGBTI forced migrants in the areas of refugee status determination, policy development and research, practical protection measures and staff development.

Users can submit details of projects that will lead to better treatment of LGBTI refugees across the globe.