Advocacy Updates

MEMBER UPDATES

• We are excited to announce APRRN's new members who joined in September, adding to our diverse network of dedicated members and partners. We would like all of you to join us in welcoming Borderless 360, CARE, Nationality for All, and Resilience Development Initiative.

Afghanistan

• 24 September: Sitarah Mohammadi (Deputy Chair of APRRN) and Sajjad Askary (Deputy Chair of the Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Working Group) wrote an op-ed that was published in the Interpreter. The article highlights the dangers that the Hazaras, an ethnic group in Afghanistan, would face under the rule of the Taliban. As one of the largest ethnic groups in Afghanistan, the Hazara people have endured a history of oppression, including slavery, torture and massacre. During the Taliban rule, the Hazaras have been subjected to institutional discrimination, systematic attacks, and mass atrocities.

• 28 September: Charlotte Slente (Danish Refugee Council) wrote an op-ed on Euronews on the need to protect Afghan refugees instead of borders. The article highlighted European politicians’ disturbing focus on securing the EU's external borders, ensuring that Afghan refugees are kept out of Europe, underlining the crucial role the continent must play to protect Afghan refugees.

Australia

• Najeeba Wazefadost (Asia Pacific Network of Refugees) was interviewed by the Mandarin to highlight her own refugee experience and the organisation's work in supporting Afghan people. The Sydney-based refugee rights advocate talked about her experience living under the Taliban, her journey as a refugee to Australia, the recent takeover of the Taliban and its implications.

Bangladesh

• 17 September: Nahida Akter, a Research Associate at the Centre for Peace and Justice, Brac University, wrote an article in the Business Standard on the lack of vaccine justice for marginalised communities in Bangladesh.

• 30 September: The Rohingya Human Rights Initiative was one of the organisations that partook as the signatories for a joint statement on the killing of Mohammed Mohibulla in Cox's Bazar.

• 30 September: Fortify Rights published a news release on the killing of Rohingya leader Mohammed Mohibulla, highlighting interviews with a witness and those familiar with the situation, and calling on the Bangladesh authorities to effectively respond. Matthew Smith, Chief Executive Officer at Fortify Rights, was mentioned in The Guardian regarding this issue.

Malaysia

• 18 September: Tenaganita executive director Glorene Das was interviewed on Free Malaysia Today regarding the organisation’s statement which condemned the Prime Minister’s call for the deportation of unvaccinated and undocumented migrant workers in Malaysia.

Regional

• On 10 and 17 September, APRRN and the Beyond Project organised two online events. The first one, ‘Legal Aid Beyond the Refugee Convention: Launch of Forced Migration Review special feature on non-signatory states’, involved representatives from CSOs (including APRRN members Asylum Access and Justice Centre Hong Kong) who shared their experiences of providing legal aid to refugees in non-signatory countries with examples from Lebanon, Jordan, Thailand, and Hong Kong. The second roundtable, ‘The International Refugee Regime and Non-signatory States: Launch of Forced Migration Review special feature on non-signatory states’, discussed how UNHCR is often key in encouraging non-signatory State actors to accept certain international standards, which in turn influences State behaviour. Domestic courts also sometimes engage with international refugee law norms and principles, affecting refugee access to protection.

• APRRN and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) co-organised UNHCR’s Regional NGO Consultations for 2021, held from 21 to 30 June. The virtual event brought together over 200 participants from some 80 organisations to discuss topics around the central theme of 'Socio-economic inclusion of refugees in the COVID context'. The outcomes from the event can be accessed here.

• Asylum Access, International Detention Coalition, Justice Centre Hong Kong, Korean Refugee Rights Network Duroo, Migration and Asylum Project, and the Refugee Council of Australia were among the organisations that launched the Global Strategic Litigation Council for Refugee Rights (GSLC). The GSLC was established to close the large and troubling gap between the promises made to protect the rights of refugees and the prevailing practises that deny refugees fundamental rights.

On the radar

• Virtual events: Resolve Foundation is hosting four online events throughout October on their Every Action Matters campaign. The events will include the release of a Hong Kong first-ever bilingual Equality Toolkit, 'Everyday Actions for Equality in Hong Kong: A Toolkit for Allies', on how to be an ally and active bystander on the areas of race, gender and disability, and a series of experiential virtual workshops. Find out more about the dates and the events here.

• Educational: Justice Centre Hong Kong (JCHK) is introducing their first-ever Mock Trial Experience - a two-day programme for high school students to learn about and apply human rights and asylum law. Students will be trained in law and then participate in a mock trial – a simulation of the Torture Claims Appeal Board/Non-refoulement Claims Petition Office. Participants will be judged by experts in asylum and human rights law in Hong Kong. JCHK staff and university student coaches from local law schools will guide and mentor participants. Please go here to read more about it.

• Fellowship opportunity: The Aspen Institute in the US is offering a year-long, non-residential programme which provides intensive media and advocacy training for frontline development experts in Asia, as well as Africa and Latin America; in fields such as human rights, food security and global health. The Aspen Institute will give special consideration to Fellows whose work focuses on COVID-19 relief, vaccine development, and pandemic resiliency. The deadline for applications is 20 October. Please go here for more information.

• The Migration and Asylum Project is offering a Catalyst for Change Fellowship programme, a social impact fellowship for early-career lawyers interested in refugee law and migration studies. It is designed to be a dynamic learning experience and transformative career opportunity for legal professionals. The application to apply is due on 22 October. Learn more about it here.

• Call for papers: New Series on ‘Health and Internal Displacement’. This new series seeks to increase engagement on the health needs of IDPs and support research, policy, and programming responses. The series focuses specifically on IDP health but is not prescriptive in terms of health conditions, age groups, geographic region, camp or urban setting. Accepted articles will be published by the Elsevier Journal of Migration and Health. The deadline for submissions is 15 December.

• Fundraising opportunity: RUN Hong Kong is currently running a WiFA x RUN Virtual Fitness Challenge fundraising campaign to support vulnerable refugees to rebuild their mental and physical strength, unite across differences as a community, and nurture self-reliance for a more hopeful future.

• Call for participation: The upcoming Forced Migration Review issue focuses on questions of knowledge, voice, and power: In the field of forced migration, whose knowledge is valued and whose voices are heard? What needs to change in order to address significant power imbalances in representation in policy, practice and academia? Issue 70 will focus on how knowledge is produced, shared and received, and what changes can and should be made to help ensure that power is shared and more diverse voices are heard and valued. Please go here for the full call for articles, with questions to help guide you, plus submission requirements.

• Job opportunity: The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is currently searching for someone to fill their Head of Technology and Human Rights position to lead and strengthen their work on accountable digital technologies. This position can be based anywhere in the world, with a strong preference for candidates based in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the Middle East. Applications are due on 18 October. The job description with information about how to apply is available here.

• Call for evidence: The UK government has organised a Call for Evidence for their government policy on Afghanistan. This inquiry will examine the government’s role in the withdrawal, including how effectively it planned and coordinated with other powers. It will also look ahead to the objectives of the UK’s future relationship with Afghanistan, including the security, counter-terrorism, human rights and humanitarian impact of the Taliban’s takeover, and the implications for wider UK foreign policy. One of the questions is, ‘What are the humanitarian and human rights implications of the Taliban takeover? How can the UK support those at risk – particularly women and girls – both in the immediate and longer term? What steps is the Government taking to do this?’. Written evidence should be submitted through the Committee’s web portal by midnight on 16 October. For more information on, please click here.

From the Secretariat

APRRN is pleased to announce the call for applications for our Short Course on Refugee Rights and Advocacy 2021, that will be taking place online from 16 November to 10 December (Tuesdays and Fridays)!

The course will combine both learning and practical sessions to develop critical human rights understanding relevant to forced migration, and strengthen the capacity of advocates for refugee rights in the Asia Pacific region. Joining us as resource persons and mentors are advocates with refugee backgrounds, experienced practitioners, and experts. We will be partnering with the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, and Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York.

The deadline for applications is on 12 October at 18:00 Bangkok time. For more information, please refer to this link.

APRRN’s Sparkraise campaign

For more than 13 years, APRRN has been a leader in the region, developing unique strategies and interventions that have directly advanced refugees’ socioeconomic inclusion and equitable rights in a region facing severe human rights crises. APRRN plays a critical role in the civil society response to forced displacement, advocating for the rights of refugees through coordinated regional action to promote the implementation of refugee protective policy and legislation. Please support APRRN by contributing to our campaign, to ensure this crucial work continues unabated, while also enabling us to continue to respond to emerging crises in Afghanistan and Myanmar.