Refuge and Asylum

Forum of development policy initiatives in Bremerhaven

Networking of asylum and refugee policy initiatives in Hamburg

The refugee council tries to tangibly improve the life situation of refugees in Lower Saxony with specific projects. We do not only want to criticize  discriminating treatment of refugees, but also to intervene and change the situation.

The main focal areas of our project work includes:

• asylum and health,
• child refugees,
• access to the job market,
• (anti-) discrimination,
• temporary right for tolerated refugees, and
• networking of refugee relief.

The refugee council of Lower Saxony was founded in 1984 and is registered as a charitable organization. It consists of a network of about 500 refugee initiatives, congregations, labour unions and individuals who do not consent to the prevalent discrimination of refugees in Lower Saxony. This network provides the basis for fighting racism in Lower Saxony. The refugee council is a member of PRO ASYL (German Human Rights organization) and cooperates closely with the refugee councils of other German federal states.

Considering the decrease of funded refugee work it is important to maintain the remaining support structures for refugees and to further strengthen the initiatives. In cooperation with other associations our goal is to network and improve refugee work in Lower Saxony.

Our activities include:

• professional counselling,
• seminars and symposia,
• public relations work,
• legal assistance in individual cases,
• publishing of  the Flüchtlingsrat (refugee council) magazine,
• representation of the interests of refugees in Lower Saxony, and
• critical monitoring of refugee policy in Lower Saxony.

The office of information Nicaragua is one of the oldest organizations of the Nicaraguan solidarity movement. The history of the office of information was until the 90s closely related with the economyof the solidarity movement to Central America and especially to Nicaragua. Today our work concentrates on the area of development education  and information for Latin America and on thecooperation and support of base initiatives in Nicaragua. We provide information, publish publications, provide educational materials, maintain a third world archive, mediate examiners, organize visits with Latin-American activists and organize actions, series of events, school workshops and seminars. Within the framework of several projects educational materials were developed on subjects like economy, migration, climate change and environmental justice, human rights and social movements as well as colonialism and racism. Besides the educational materials we also offer disseminator courses. For several years we also offer successful workshops on the above mentioned subjects for young people . We use interactive and participative exercises of global learning, so that young people can approach appropriately to the subject of the workshops. Moreover we refer to the interests and experiences of the participants and put a main focus on the learning. Our work focuses on fun, the connections with the life and reality of young people, reflection as well as the ability to own judgment and action.

Refugees are a special group among immigrants from foreign countries who seek protection  from torture, persecution and hunger caused by political, religious or cultural tensions, war and poverty in their homelands. Worldwide there are 12 million refugees. The number of regions of crisis in the world has not diminished. The acceptance rates of refugees in Europe and Germany have been decreasing for years. A large number of refugees are tolerated only for a short time. They are subject to special legislation and special residency requirements and they receive fewer benefits. This legislation systematically prevents them from  becoming integrated into society. 

Mecklenburg Vorpommern e. V. Refugee Council supports fair asylum application procedures, access to employment and educational opportunities for refugees, humane housing and unlimited medical care. The Council also fights any kind of xenophobia and racism. It participates in PRO ASYL and has connections to other refugee groups and organizations.

Responsibilities:

• We provide advice to asylum seekers, tolerated and accepted refugees, people fleeing from civil wars, paid and voluntary workers, as well as associations and groups which are involved in refugee work. 
• We organize continuing education programmes and campaign activities about refugees and asylum. We also find companions who accompany refugees who need to see doctors, visit advisory centres, consult lawyers and the like. 
• We coordinate and promote refugee work in Mecklenburg Vorpommern.

The FRSH was founded as an incorporated association in 1991. It is an independent umbrella organisation for groups, initiatives, organizations and individuals involved in refugee aid in Schleswig-Holstein. The FRSH gives advice and support to its members, immigrant and refugee initiatives and exile organizations. It is a member of the nationwide PRO ASYL e.V. and part of the network of refugee councils in Germany. For counselling, some projects, and other events, the FRSH cooperates with churches, associations, human rights organizations, political parties, the authorities and political activist groups.

The Refugee Council demands

• The full application of the Geneva Refugee Convention, the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention Against Torture (CAT).
• The abolition of all laws and regulations that discriminate against foreigners or that place them at a disadvantage.
• Abolition of the so-called third state rule (Drittstaatenregelung: a rule limiting asylum to applicants entering the EU from unsafe third states), the official lists containing countries of safe origin and the so-called airport regulation in the German law of asylum.
• The stopping of the deportation of undesired aliens and the abolition of the detention of aliens prior to deportation.
• Full recognition of the reasons for seeking asylum as protection against prosecution on the basis of gender or non-governmental prosecution.
• Full application of the Bundessozialhilfegesetz, concerning public welfare benefits and public health regulations; freedom of movement and unrestricted access to schooling and education, the unrestricted opportunities to seek work.
• The abolition of degrading and inhumane accommodations.
• Practical administrative work that is intercultural and aimed at the integration of refugees and asylum seekers.
• The right to stay in Germany for refugees that have been tolerated to stay on a long-term basis.

Main Topics and Projects

• Network Baltic-Refugee. Net is a Forum that links all countries involved in refugee-aid and bordering on the Baltic Sea.
• EQUAL partnership for education, organizes educational programs for refugees; the aim is to integrate refugees and asylum seekers into the economy who have been denied education and employment.
• Project for unaccompanied minor refugees . Adolescents over 16 years of age are the focal group for this project that is looking for guardians for these minor refugees; it also provides advice and information concerning adolescent refugees.
• Project Brise. This project organizes opportunities for education and training provided by volunteers, who help and give advice to refugees.