Honorable Mentions
Asylum Access leadership staff attended a convening on LGBTI refugee issues in Washington, DC with other human rights NGOs, UNHCR representatives and funders.- Asylum Access Thailand Country Director Medhapan Sundaradeja had her profile published in a magazine in recognition of the fact that she is the first Thai Country Director of Asylum Access Thailand.
- Asylum Access Thailand, through the refugee advocacy group APRRN met with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss sustainable solutions to regulate refugee migration and end detention practice in Thailand.
- A mother and child reunited at our office in Tanzania.
- VLA Jenna Gilbert recently argued a case before Ecuador’s Constitutional Court. In support, London-based NGO REDRESS submitted an amicus brief on reparations due to victims of unlawful detention and torture survivors. Asylum Access looks forward to developing an ongoing partnership with REDRESS and uniting to assert refugees’ rights globally. Good work, Jenna!
- Asylum Access Ecuador served as lead drafter on the “NGO Statement on the Americas” to be presented before the 50th UNHCR Standing Committee meeting in early March!
- Congratulations to our volunteer legal advocates at Asylum Access Ecuador, who served a record 1,116 refugees in this last quarter alone. Amazing!
Ecuador:
Figures: Served a total of 1116 clients, providing 544 with legal information and services, 392 with community legal education and another 180 with basic legal services from community legal advisors (CLAs).
Highlights: Asylum Access Ecuador and the Interior Ministry in Ecuador have agreed to work together on several challenging issues, including the recent issues surrounding the immigration detention centers.
Tanzania:Figures: Provided individualized legal assistance to 288 clients last quarter.
Highlights: Asylum Access Tanzania held its first Know Your Rights training in which 90 participants attended, and hired a Refugees United fellow, who going to be running the implementing the Refugees United project at the office in Dar es Salaam.
Thailand:Figures: Provided individualized legal assistance to 90 clients last quarter.
Highlights: Asylum Access Thailand participated in the Best Interest Determination (BID) training with UNHCR, and in the production of a Non-Refoulement booklet in collaboration with the Lawyer Council of Thailand (LCT).