We hope that you're doing well! We're writing today to share the latest updates of our work. We've had another busy few months at Refugee Rights Europe and we're excited to share our work with you.
Thanks to your generous donations, we've successfully published our Annual Report 2017, documented the human rights situation facing refugees and displaced people living in Paris and the UK, and increased our advocacy and campaigning efforts at the national, European, and international levels.
In February, we published our pilot study in the UK that documents the situation for asylum-seeking individuals in an accommodation centre provided by the Home Office in London. Our report is based on interviews with 33 individuals who resided at the accommodation centre. It highlights the sub-standard living conditions for asylum-seeking individuals, including lack of security, poor air quality caused by mould and vermin, unsanitary environments in common areas, and overcrowding. All of these elements can cause deterioration in the mental and physical health of its residents and our report offers concrete recommendations to the Home Office to improve its accommodation centres.
Following this, we traveled to Paris, France to follow-up one year after our initial report on the situation of refugees and displaced people, including unaccompanied minors, living on the streets in the City of Lights. Our report highlights a number of critical issues faced by refugees in the urban environment, including inhumane living conditions, police violence, and lack of access to legal information and healthcare. We’ve included object recommendations and issued a joint statement alongside our partners during the debate of the Asylum and Immigration Bill in the French Parliament.
We’ve also been able to increase our advocacy efforts at all levels of society. In March, we launched a new advocacy page on our website that showcases how we use our independent field research to advocate for the human rights of refugees and displaced people to be upheld throughout Europe. You’ll find all of our submissions at the national, European, and international level.
None of this work would have been possible without generous supporters like yourself, and we would like to invite you to continue to support us with a small donation. We are currently working on two Europe-based reports and want to expand our UK-based programme; we need any support we can get and we’d love to have you onboard!
In the lead up to World Refugee Day, we will be launching a crowd funding campaign in early June and will benefit from GlobalGiving’s 24-hour match funding campaign on 20 June! This means that any donation, regardless of size, will be automatically doubled by Global Giving on that day. We would love if you’d be able to support and will be grateful of any contribution to our work.
Thanks again for your continued support, and please feel free to drop us a line if you would like any further feedback about our work.
Warmest wishes,
Krystal Garvin and the Team
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It's been a busy few months here at Refugee Rights Europe (previously the Refugee Rights Data Project, RRDP). We kicked off the new year with two new research studies, and started ramping up our advocacy work. It's all been possible thanks to generous supporters such as yourself, and we'd like to take this opportunity to thank you sincerely once again!
First of all, we're excited to have been selected as one out of three finalists for the prestigeous Bond Advocacy Campaign Award 2018! We'll be attending the award ceremony next week and are keeping our fingers crossed.
In mid-January, we conucted our first-ever research study in the UK. We suvered some 17% of residents in an asylum accommodation centre in north-west London, investigating the living conditions and human rights infringements experienced there. The report has already caught the interest of many British Members of Parliament, and received good media coverage in the Guardian. This is hopefully the first of several studies in the UK, and we're currently working hard to ensure our recommendations reach those with the power to effect meaningful change.
Later in the month, we went back to Paris to document the situation for hundreds of refugees sleeping rough in the streets of this European capital. We found an incredibly dire situation characterised by ill-health and lack of basic living standards. The full report will be out soon, and we are currently planning the advocacy work with partners on the ground.
Ahead of the Franco-British summit held in Sandhurst on 18 January 2018, we issued an open letter alongside our partners, with a concrete set of recommendations. We welcome the announcement by the Home Secretary that re-affirmed the UK Government’s commitment to fulfil the remaining places allocated under the ‘Dubs’ amendment, moved forward the eligibility date at which children would be accepted on the scheme, and promised to allocate a portion of the overall £45.5m budget to supporting family reunification. We will continue to monitor these commitments
We're currently gearing up for joint advocacy with several partner organisations on the #AllWomenCounty lobby of Parliament in International Women's Day 2018 to ask policy makers to listen and act on refugee and displaced women's calls for safety, dignity and liberty.
Overall, our work is still largely dependent on donations from generous individuals like yourself. If you would like to continue supporting us, please consider making a small donation. Thank you again for your invaluable contributions thus far!
Take care and keep in touch!
Best wishes,
Marta and the team
Ps. Please take a look at our Annual Report 2017 by clicking the link below!
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We hope you're well! We're writing today to share the latest updates about our work. We've had a busy few months here at RRDP - a lot has happened since we last wrote to you.
Thanks to generous donors like yourself, we've been able to document the human rights situation facing refugees and displaced people in both Italy and France, and we've done lots of campaigning work around the research findings, calling for long-term change.
Our report from Ventimiglia at the French-Italian border was based on interviews with 150 refugees trapped in a bottle-beck scenario there. The report highlights detrimental living conditions coupled with police violence and dangerous border crossings, all contributing towards a situation characterised by chronic insecurity and extensive mental and physical health problems. Check out some of our news coverage in the Independent newspaper here!
After the Ventimiglia study, we returned to Calais in northern France, to document the situation there one year on from the demolition of the Calais 'jungle' camp. Our study there investigated a number of issues face by refugees in the area, including police and citizen violence, health conditions, and people's access to information and legal advice. We were honoured to launch the report in the House of Lords in the UK, and alongside preeminent partner organisations in the sector, we called on Members of Parliament to work towards effecting meaningful change. Take a look at our media coverage in the Observer!
None of this work would have been possible without generous supporters like yourself, and we would like to invite you to continue to support us with a small donation. In the lead-up to a major study in the streets of Paris, France we need any support we can get, and we'd love to have you onboard!
On Human Rights Day, 10 December, we will be launching our biggest crowd funding campaign to-date, and we're hoping to benefit from Global Giving's match funding offer - which means that any small donation you'd be able to make would be doubled by Global Giving, free of charge! We would love it if you were able to support us then, and will send a gentle reminder closer to the date - we hope you don't mind!
Thanks again for your continued support, and please do feel free to drop us a line if you would like any further feedback about our work.
Warmest wishes,
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We hope you are well and enjoying the summer months! We've had a busy few months here at RRDP - a lot has happened since we last wrote to you.
In July, we published our report on the situation on the island of Chios, Greece. We then also launched a post card campaign and wrote a private letter to the EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship and the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, requesting that they increase EU Commission funding to the island to ensure that basic humanitrian conditions are upheld.
We also took part in an expert panel at the European Parliament in Brussels, and shared findings and recommendations relating to the situation of unaccompanied minors in northern France. Similarly, we contibuted to a large independent inquiry into the risk of trafficking among children in Calais and beyond, sponsored by the Human Trafficking Foundation and launched in the House of Lords. Our participation in both events was based on our report 'Six Months On' which you helped make possible thanks to your kind donation earlier on in the year.
Most recently, we've conducted an in-depth field research study at the French-Italian border, in the town of Ventimiglia. We are deeply concerned about our research findings there, relating to arbitrary deportations and push-backs, as well as untreated health concerns and a striking absence of access to basic services, information and water. The full report will be out soon, and we will be launching a large-scale advocacy campaign around the research findings to encourage a more humane response by all relevant actors. Keep an eye out on our social media channels.
As always, RRDP will continue to monitor the situation for refugees and displaced people in Europe over the coming months, and hold responsible parties to account as we are concerned the current standards are wholly inadequate.
Thank you again for your invaluable support, and do keep in touch with us! As one of our supporters, you're very welcome to email the team at info@refugeerights.org.uk anytime, if you would like to chat to us about our work or future plans.
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Over the past few months, Refugee Rights Data Project has continued it field research across Europe. As you know, our aim is to investigate and document the situation of refugees, focusing specifically on human rights infringements and unmet humanitiarian standards.
Thanks to the support from people like yourself, we have been able to conduct first-hand field studies in northern France, where children and youth are sleeping rough and facing health issues, police violence and far-right abuse on a daily basis. The report 'Six Months On' can be found here:
We have also been able to research the situation in Chios, Greece, where our native-speaking researchers interviewed men, women and youth who have fled war torn places such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The report is currently being drafted and will be shared with you through our next project report, or via our website.
Lastly, we were able to respond to a call from asylum seekers in Sweden, who were facing specific challenges in an otherwise relatively favourable environment.
In other news, we will be sharing a summary of our research findings across Europe at Amnesty International's headquarters later this month, with keynote speakers discussing children and young adults in Calais and what can be done to address their situation. Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like to join us.
We've also been working with a UK-based partner in schools to raise awareness of what refugee children and youth face in Europe. We're hoping to do more of this work in the coming months.
Once again, your support means so much to us. It is thanks to people like you that we are able to continue documenting the situation of refugees and displaced people, and call for sustainable action to uphold their human rights. Our research moreover helps inform the wider public about refugees, their asiprations and agency, which we hope will help de-polarise conversations and bridge gaps between 'us' and 'them.'
Thank you again, and have a lovely rest of the week!
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