Asylum Update 11th March 2010
11 March 2010
Research
New UNHCR Country Briefing Folder on Central African Republic March 2010.
The APCI Legacy: A Critical Assessment is a new study from the Immigration Advisory Service looking at the impact of the Independent Advisory Panel on Country Information (APCI) on UK Borders Agency country of origin information. The APCI was disbanded in 2008.
Report on an announced inspection of Campsfield House Immigration Removal Centre 5-9 October 2009 by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.
See Refugee and Migrant Justice comment
See also The Observer on Yarl’s Wood IRC
Failing to Adapt: Institutional Barriers to RCOs Engagement in Transformation of Social Welfare by Jenny Phillimore and Lisa Goodson, Social Policy and Society 9.
Asylum, Welfare and the Cosmopolitan Ideal: A Sociology of Rights is a new book by Lydia Morris (University of Essex).
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has published the fourth ECRI report on the United Kingdom which covers asylum seekers among other affected groups. See also ECRI press release
Law and policy
The European Court of Justice has issued a ruling on the conditions of withdrawal of refugee status following a challenge by Iraqi nationals to the withdrawal of their refugee status in Germany.
Secretary of State for the Home Department Alan Johnson has given internal figures to parliament according to which 3,500 unsuccessful removals of migrants have been made since 2007, but in more than 95% of cases the person was eventually removed.
The current issue of Women’s Asylum News carries an article by Catriona Jarvis, Senior Immigration Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Chamber) on new rules of procedure for children, and vulnerable and sensitive witnesses. It also carries articles looking back on 10 years of the Women’s Project at Asylum Aid.
New Refugee Council briefing: Rape and sexual violence: the experiences of refugee women in the UK
Events
Tuesday 16th March 2010: Representation, Rights & Migration of the British-Chinese Community conference, House of Commons, London. See MRN newsletter for details.
Thursday 25th March 2010, 4pm: ‘From research objects to active subjects: reflections on the politics of researching asylum’ with Dr Vicki Squire of the Open University.
Venue: City University, Room AG21, College Building, Northampton Square, London EC1V 0HB. Part of the 2009-10 ICAR seminar series. Please email us to let us know if you intend to come.
Thursday 22nd April 2010: The Future of Services For Children Seeking Asylum- best practice and support central London. Speakers from UKBA, the Children’s Society, Garden Court Chambers and other organisations.
Resources
The Southern Refugee Legal Aid Network is run by the Fahamu Refugee Programme, and lists country of origin experts and relevant organisations, as well as information on different aspects of status determination /asylum claims.
The Scottish Ethnic Minorities Directory lists local and national BME, refugee and new migrants organisations and services across Scotland. Contact Jamie O'Neill at Positive Action in Housing for further details.
The European Migration Network’s Asylum and Migration Glossary seeks “to improve comparability between EU Member States through the use and common understanding of the terms and definitions contained in it.”
