Our history
Asylum Aid is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It was founded in 1990 to complement the campaigning work of an organisation called Rights and Justice, by providing specialist advice and representation to individuals seeking asylum in the United Kingdom (UK).
As soon as it started work, the cases Asylum Aid took up (its casework) generated a wealth of telling information about the UK's asylum process. This prompted the development of Asylum Aid’s policy and campaigning work. As the number of asylum-seekers grew during the 1990s, Asylum Aid’s work increased. As the work increased, so did Asylum Aid’s reputation for the effectiveness and integrity of its legal services and campaigning.
Today, Asylum Aid is a distinctive organisation, mainly for two reasons. Firstly, we focus on the legal process of asylum and, in particular, on the problems facing the most vulnerable and excluded asylum-seekers. Secondly, we make sure that our casework and campaigning go hand in hand.
The Refugee Women’s Resource Project (RWRP) is an example of this integrated approach to our work. It was established in 2000 to highlight the way in which the asylum process is set up in such a way that it is bound to discriminate against women.
The project provides a unique blend of legal casework, information, research and policy work and campaigning for asylum-seekers who are women.