Celebrate two years of the Women's Asylum Charter
Celebrate two years of the Women's Asylum Charter
Launched on 28 June 2008, Asylum Aid’s Charter of Rights of Women Seeking Asylum calls on the UK Border Agency to commit to treating women seeking asylum with fairness, dignity and respect.
The Charter has been endorsed by 211 organisations, including The Testimony Project, and offers a framework for organisations with a common interest to come together and work towards a gender sensitive asylum system. Under the banner of the Charter, all of the organisations have been working hard to improve the experiences of women seeking sanctuary in the UK.
Two years on, Asylum Aid have published a report detailing some of the successes and the progress which has been achieved through collective effort.
One of the most positive results of the Charter is the provision of childcare during asylum interviews in three of the UKBA’s seven regions. This is crucial in enabling women to properly disclose their story without the worry of discussing torture or rape in front of their children.
Significant achievements include:
· The appointment of the first UKBA Gender Champion, Matthew Coats, in January 2010.
· A commitment by the UKBA to improve conditions for women detained in the predominantly-male detention centre Tinsley House.
· The agreement of terms of reference for talks between UKBA officials and Charterendorsers focusing on operational issues relating to women asylum seekers
· A successful bid by Greater Manchester Immigration Aid Unit for a grant from Comic Relief to support women who are seeking asylum and who have been subjected to gender based violence such as rape and female genital mutilation (FGM).
Such successes are justly celebrated but there remains much to do. The Charter’s Every Single Woman campaign highlights the continued existence of disparities in the treatment of women seeking asylum compared to women settled in the UK. To take just one example, there are clearly identifiable in the level of support offered to survivors of rape or domestic abuse.
The Testimony Project, in partnership with the other Charter endorsers, continues to work hard to share stories of the unique experiences of women asylum seekers in the hope of ensuring that the specific needs of women in the asylum system are properly met.