Asylum Access is the only international organization working to make refugee rights a reality in first countries of refuge. Our unique combination of five integrated strategies provides grassroots assistance and changes the legal landscape for refugees and their host communities.
By helping refugees assert their rights, we are putting power back into their hands. Our work transforms the traditional approach of endless humanitarian handouts to a sustainable solution that gives refugees the tools to provide for themselves and make choices about their own lives.
Asylum Access makes refugee rights a reality using five tools:
Legal Aid
Our advocates provide legal counsel and representation to refugees and
asylum seekers. We help our clients navigate the legal process to obtain
status, vindicate workplace rights, access education, healthcare, and
financial institutions, and demand equal protection of police and courts.Community Legal Empowerment
We train refugees as Community Legal Advisors, so they can provide basic
legal advice and facilitate civic engagement within their communities. We
train refugees as Community Interpreters so they can assist other refugees
to access justice. We also conduct broader Know Your Rights education
with refugees and their host communities.Policy Advocacy
We advocate for changes in law and policy that improve refugees’ access to
rights. Working with local governments and UN field offices, we develop and
promote solutions to systemic rights violationsStrategic Litigation
We establish legal precedents for refugee rights through test cases in local
and regional courts. Our strategic litigation works in tandem with our policy
advocacy. Ultimately, we aim to reduce the need for legal aid by making
refugee rights the norm.Movement-Building
We are committed to advancing the global refugee rights movement. We have established an effective and sustainable model for change in Africa, Asia and Latin America and our advocates are continually expanding our reach and bringing our services to more refugees every year.
Our achievements include:
- Successfully advocated for the inclusion of refugee rights in the Ecuadorian constitution. Now 250,000 refugees can lawfully work and feed their families.
- Advocated for greater fairness in UN proceedings that make life-or-death decisions for around 100,000 refugees each year. Now 40% more people receive protection.
- Secured asylum, prevented forcible return or unjust detention, and guaranteed rights in schools and workplaces for thousands of refugees in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
We provide direct legal assistance and education to over 5,000 refugees annually in Ecuador, Thailand and Tanzania, reaching hundreds of thousands more through policy advocacy and strategic litigation. Our legal advocates help refugees assert their rights to live safely, work, send children to school and rebuild their lives.
