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Women's Asylum Charter

Women's Asylum CharterThe Charter of Rights of Women Seeking Asylum was published in 2008.  It calls on the Home Office to ensure that women seeking asylum in the UK are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

This means that the asylum system must recognise the particular issues which force women to seek asylum, and must respond to their particular needs as women.  To achieve this, the Charter promotes practical, gender-sensitive reforms to every stage of the asylum process, from decision-making and support to conditions in detention.  The Charter commands the endorsement of well over 300 organisations, all of whom have lent their voice to this campaign for change.  Its successes so far include ...

The Charter so far 

A number of Charter recommendations have been implemented, thanks to the collective lobbying of its endorsers.  Childcare is now available in five out of six regions of the UK - a crucial step if asylum seekers are to disclose sensitive information during asylum interviews.  Progress has been made towards ending the detention of families with children, while gender-sensitive improvements have been promised as part of ongoing reforms.  And a Gender Champion has been appointed from among senior Government officials, with responsibility for placing gender work at the strategic heart of the asylum system.

A more detailed account of the Charter's impact so far is provided in Charter of the Rights of Women 2 Years On: impacts and actions

Join the Charter 

But much more remains to be done, and demonstrating the broad support enjoyed by the Charter is key to its success in pushing for further change.  You can read the current list of Charter endorsers - and organisations who wish to endose the Charter can email charter@asylumaid.org.uk.

Join the discussion

Anybody interested in these issues is welcome to join the Women's Asylum Charter Google Group, so that we can co-ordinate our work and monitor our progress together.  Email charter@asylumaid.org.uk