Description
Asylum Matters works in partnership at the local and national levels to improve the lives of refugees and asylum seekers through social and political change. The company does this by using:
Bridging the gap between asylum policy and practice: Mobilizes its regional networks to collect evidence on the impact of policies on people passing through the asylum system. In this way, it seeks to ensure that national policy discussions are based on the realities faced by refugees and asylum seekers.
Acting as a catalyst and organizer of the election campaign: coordinates information and propaganda and election work on a number of issues in anticipation of key influence opportunities, and also provides its partners with a forum for exchanging information, sharing best practices and planning joint actions.
Strengthening links between local and national campaigns: Promotes cooperation between local organizations and national agencies. Where possible, coordinates campaigning activities and ensures consistency of messages so that decision makers receive the same calls for action at the local and national levels.
Building the voice and capacity of local campaigns: works with local partners to strengthen their capacity and support their own election and advocacy work. The company is looking for platforms for refugees, asylum seekers and their supporters to tell their stories and campaign for change.
Advocacy directly with decision makers: works with politicians to solve problems identified by their partners, and we make sure that these discussions are based on local perspectives.
Asylum Matters is a registered charity organization number 1192664.
Their Mandate
Asylum Matters was created to take forward the eight goals that were identified at the ‘Sanctuary Summit’ in 2014 – an unprecedented gathering of refugees, migrants, advocates and supporters from around the country who came together to set out a vision for a more welcoming Britain. This vision became known as the ‘Birmingham Declaration’, which has since been endorsed by more than 320 organisations. The key principles and goals which underpin the Birmingham Declaration and which Asylum Matters is now working to progress include:
- An end to destitution in the asylum system, by ensuring that all asylum seekers and refugees can meet their essential living needs while in the UK;
- Permission to work for asylum seekers whose case has taken more than six months, or they have been refused and are temporarily unable to return home;
- Free access to healthcare for all asylum seekers while they are in the UK;
- Improved decision making, so protection is granted to all those who need it;
- Improved access to good quality legal advice and representation;
- An end to the indefinite detention of asylum seekers and migrants;
- Asylum seekers to be welcomed & befriended on arrival, and offered free language tuition so they can fully participate and contribute to the local community;
- All asylum seekers, refugees and migrants to be treated with dignity and respect.
