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.

Networking of asylum and refugee policy initiatives

Networking of asylum and refugee policy initiatives in Bavaria

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.

Forum for International Dialogue