Armed conflict and refugees
By mid 2021, according to the UNHCR, 82.4 million people around the world had been forced to flee their homes. Around 26.6 million are refugees from countries including Syria, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Ethiopia and Tigray. Half of these are women. The major host countries are Turkey, Uganda, Pakistan and Germany.
Women and girls are especially vulnerable. The UK Government is trying to introduce a Nationality and Borders Bill, currently going through the House of Lords. Women for Refugee Women and many other women’s organisations have rejected claims made by the Home Office that the Bill will assist women seeking safety. Instead, they say that the Bill in its current form will cause serious harm to women, greatly undermining the government’s efforts to prevent Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Whilst the Government and Home Office claim that addressing VAWG is a priority, they are pushing a Bill that will increase the risk of survivors being wrongly refused asylum, and therefore increase the likelihood of women being made vulnerable to further violence and abuse.
Don’t imprison refugee women
The newly opened Derwentside immigration detention centre (formerly known as Hassockfield) near Consett in County Durham, has capacity for 84 women to be locked up at any one time. This marks a reversal in Home Office policy regarding the use of detention. One woman, formerly detained in Yarlswood says: I know how detention destroys a woman. Women become depressed and suicidal in detention. I don’t want to see this happen to any of my sisters who are looking for safety.
- Women in Black invite you to donate to the charity Women for Refugee Women 52 Featherstone Street, London EC1Y 8RT https://www.refugeewomen.co.uk/E
- Sign this petition to close the Derwentside detention centre. https://www.change.org/p/the-home-secretary-stop-the-new-detention-centre-for-women?signed=true
- Send the letter below
To: The Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street, London SW1A 2AA
We call on you urgently to:
Increase the number of women and children asylum-seekers granted leave to remain in the UK
Support women refugees with benefits, housing, education, health services and family reunification
Close the Derwentside detention centre now.
Women in Black hold vigils every Wednesday between 6-7 pm at the Edith Cavell Statue, opposite the door of the National Portrait Gallery, St.Martin’s Place, London WC2. Our vigils are silent, women-only and if possible we wear black. We welcome all women who support our call for an end to militarism and war. Contact us: Twitter @WIB_London FB @womeninblack.london http://london.womeninblack.org/
Donations for leaflets most welcome