Priorities for Action report
Refugee and Asylum Forum Gathering
In January 2023, the Refugee and Asylum Forum Gathering took place in Belfast. The Gathering aimed to offer new and old members the space to connect, share bright ideas and inspire action.
The Gathering was co-hosted by Law Centre NI and Belfast City of Sanctuary and welcomed over 70 people from a wide range of community and voluntary organisations and individuals with their own experience of the immigration system in Northern Ireland.
Attendees were asked to join facilitated discussions on the themed topics and were tasked with identifying key challenges for asylum seekers and refugees and with proposing recommendations for change. Following the Gathering, the draft recommendations were shared with the Forum to provide members with a further opportunity to share ideas and contribute suggestions
Priorities for Action
The resulting Priorities for Action report is a comprehensive record of the current challenges from our sector experts. The report makes clear, practical and achievable recommendations for policymakers in the areas of Integration, Essential Needs, Housing, Employment, Health and Social Care, Education, Human Trafficking, Immigration Advice, Ukraine Scheme and BN(O) Hong Kong visas.
You can view the full report here.
Refugee and Asylum Forum
The Refugee and Asylum Forum (RAF) is a group of organisations that have been meeting since 2012. Forum members have day-to-day expertise in delivering services to asylum seekers and refugees or providing support, policy or advocacy. Our collective expertise is wide-ranging and spans health and social care, accommodation, integration and participation, legal rights, welfare and policy development.
Membership includes voluntary and community organisations as well as statutory agencies and government departments. Members believe that asylum seekers and migrants have the right to be treated with dignity and respect and advocate for a fair and humane asylum system.
The Forum has no independent existence and therefore is not constituted or registered with any regulatory body. The Forum was coordinated by South Belfast Roundtable 2012-2022 and is now convened by Law Centre NI.