The Project's purpose
The Refugee Women's Resource Project (RWRP) was set up at Asylum Aid in 2000 in recognition of the fact that women who have fled their homes in search of safety have particular problems and their needs and circumstances are not adequately addressed by the UK asylum system.
The traditional image of a refugee is of a male political activist, persecuted for his involvement in protests against the state. Women's political activities often take a different form, perhaps giving shelter or food to those in hiding or refusing to abide by restrictions such as dress codes. Women also face forms of persecution that are particular to them. These include domestic violence, rape, sexual violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation, from which they are unable to get state protection.
RWRP aims to enable women seeking asylum in the UK to obtain protection and security, to maintain their dignity and to be treated with respect during the asylum process.
In 2006 RWRP won the Emma Humphreys Memorial Prize, awarded each year to a group that has done exceptional work to combat violence against women and children and raised awareness of this issue, whether through writing, campaigning or activism.