Refuge and Asylum

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.

Lower Saxony is committed to a range of activities in Sub-Saharan Africa and thus assumes responsibility for sustainable global development. The aim is to learn as much as possible from and with one another in the context of a global partnership and responsibility with
cosmopolitanism and cross-cultural competence.

Lower Saxony focuses on three priority areas of development cooperation:

1. Partnership with the Eastern Cape (South Africa) since 1995
2. Project cooperation with Tanzania since 2010
3. Development educational and information work

As part of the development policy information and educational work within Lower Saxony, the State Chancellery promotes the Association Development Policy Lower Saxony (Verband Entwicklungspolitik Niedersachsen e.V. - VEN). The VEN is the network of development
NGOs, initiatives and so-called One-World-Shops (Weltläden). The main focus of the VEN is the development educational and information work. The funds are directed to the implementation of „IBQ - projects“ (information, education and skills) of NGOs in Lower Saxony in the field of development cooperation.

Since 2014 Lower Saxony has been co-financing the nationwide Promoter-Program (Promotorenprogramm). The aim is to raise awareness on development issues in Lower Saxony. The continuation of the program up to 2018 has been decided upon in 2015 and the financial means are guaranteed.

As part of a special program for humanitarian aid, Lower Saxony has decided to take in 70 traumatized women and children from northern Iraq in 2015. They are victims of extreme violence by fighters of the terrorist organization Islamic State, whom Lower Saxony is going to ensure a safe stay over the next two years. The regional government has decided to allocate 1.1 million euros in 2015 and 6.8 million euros for the following years for the reception, accommodation and health care of these women and children.

2016 is planned to focus on the implementation and consolidation of the new Development Policy Guidelines and their linking with the Strategy for Sustainability of Lower Saxony, which is currently under revision. The intensified cooperation with development policy actors within the civil society - a positive effect of the process of drafting the guidelines - will be continued by, for example, giving these organizations an active part in developing the implementation strategy.

Furthermore, Lower Saxony participates in the newly established Bund-Länder-Program. With the involvement of GIZ’s office in Lower Saxony (Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit) project opportunities are currently being examined and planned to be approved
by the end of January 2016.