Cooperation
In 2004, a team of NGOs from Germany, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia participated in the "Information and Cooperation Forum" (ICF), an EU project to analyse reception conditions for asylum seekers in the above countries. The project was co-financed by the European Refugee Fund.
ICF is continuing this successful cooperative effort with a follow-up project. Throughout this project (1 December 2005 - 31 May 2007), the participating organisations are devoting themselves as 'lead agencies' to one critical issue each. The lead agencies are responsible for the qualification of local actors, authorities and decision makers and lobby work related to the issue in question. They are working on a transnational basis and covering the whole geographic area of the ICF, thus transcending national borders.
Organisations
Bavarian Refugee Council / Germany
In Charge of the Publications and Public Relations of the ICF Network
The Bavarian Refugee Council, founded in 1986, is an association of organisations and groups of volunteers active in the realm of refugee aid in Bavaria, Germany. It consists of approximately fourty groups and organisations throughout Bavaria with a central office in Munich. The office publishes two journals on refugee, asylum and migration topics, offers seminars on new developments in these realms and engages in counselling and extensive lobbying. In close cooperation with refugee organisations and PRO ASYL , the Bavarian Refugee Council campaigns on specific refugee-related topics, including the right to stay, protests against deportations or restrictions on free movement and on the poor living conditions of refugees.
Stephan Dünnwald studied social anthropology, sociology, geography and history of arts at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich. He finished his studies with a doctorate in sociology at the University of Augsburg in 2004. Throughout his studies, he focused on the topics of ethnicity, social conflict, migration, and refugees. Since 1992, he has been providing advocacy and social and legal support for refugees. He has been working at the free radio Lora München since 1996 and soon thereafter became chief producer in the field of (forced) migration and multicultural society. He has been a member of the office of the Bavarian Council for Refugees since 2002.
asylum coordination / Austria
Lead Agency for Participation of Refugees
'asylum coordination Austria' was founded in 1991 and campaigns for the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Austria. 'asylum coordination' consists of approximately 40 humanitarian organisations as well as individual members in Austria. The organisation fosters the exchange of information and cooperation between professionals working with refugees and organises trainings. 'asylum coordination' works closely with UNHCR and with administrative authorities and elected officials. The organisation furthermore conducts research and analysis of crucial issues in the field of asylum and migration and publishes a quarterly newspaper. The NGO also specialises in anti-racism education and offers workshops, seminars and role plays. 'asylum coordination' is a member of different national and European networks, which lobby for the rights of refugees and migrants and fight against racism.
Anny Knapp studied History and German. She has been working for the interests of refugees since 1989. Anny co-founded 'asylum coordination Austria' and after several years of being the chairwoman, she has been employed by the organisation since 1992. Her main focus is the documentation of the asylum practice, education and public relations.
Halina Niec Human Rights Association / Poland
Halina Niec Human Rights Association
Lead Agency for Access to Employment and Education
The Niec Association is a new organisation, founded in 2002, but was immediately responsible for implementing a number of projects aimed at the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Niec Association is the only organisation in Poland that provides free legal assistance to asylum seekers in detention. It also monitors the conditions of the detention facilities, issues legal bulletins, and educates and cooperates with other NGOs in creating a solid structure of free legal assistance in the field of asylum.
Maria Pamula graduated from the Law and Administration Faculty of the Jagiellonian University in Poland in 2004 and she is currently a PhD candidate in the Public International Law Faculty. She has been working for the Halina Niec Human Rights Association since 2003 where she is a lawyer and member of the board. Her fields of expertise include employment discrimination, access to the labour market and refugee status determination procedure, particularly regarding detention.
PRO DONUM / Slovakia
Lead Agency for Social Work and Social Counselling
PRO DONUM was founded in May 2003 and is one of the first organisations involved in the development of corporate philanthropy and social engagement of companies and organisations in Slovakia. PRO DONUM's mission is to develop and support projects for protecting human rights. PRO DONUM provides the following services: consultancy and know-how in defining donation strategies and choosing areas for support, creation of philanthropic intent and selection of projects in accordance with corporate philosophy of the client, development and realisation of grant programs, complex project cycle management and its administration.
Barbora Kohútiková studied social work and sociology focused on psychotherapy at the pedagogical faculty of the Comenius University in Bratislava. She finished her studies with a Masters degree in social work in June 2003. From July 2003 until March 2005, she worked as a social counsellor for Slovak Humanitarian Council on a project providing social support to refugees for UNHCR in Bratislava. During this timeperiod, she was also active in ICF I as an expert for Slovakia. She has been working in PRO DONUM as a program coordinator for a project for Roma's talented children since August 2005.
Foundation GEA 2000 / Slovenia
Foundation GEA 2000 (GEA 2000)
Lead Agency for Accommodation Standards
Foundation GEA 2000 is a non-governmental organisation that provides general assistance and welfare in the field of humanitarian and environmental protection and assistance. It has been active in the area of asylum law and has been assisting refugees since 1997. The organisation provides legal aid and social support to society's most vulnerable groups, including refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, 30,000 "erased" Slovenian citizens whose resident names were deleted from the civil registers in 1992. Special attention is devoted to unaccompanied minors, stateless persons, temporarily protected refugees and others in need of assistance. In order to provide these groups with the best possible legal assistance, Foundation GEA 2000 also established an asylum lawyers network which provides legal advice to its beneficiaries and represents individuals before the competent administrative and judicial bodies.
Meira Hot studied law at the Law Faculty of the University in Ljubljana. Throughout her studies, she volunteered for Foundation GEA 2000 as a legal adviser. She graduated in June 2004 and started working as a lawyer in the office of Maja K. Tratar, attorney at law, who specialises in asylum and immigration law. At Foundation GEA 2000, Meira works as the coordinator of the Asylum Lawyers Network, coordinator of the legal clinic for refugees as well as a legal advisor for asylum seekers.
Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) / Czech Republic
Organization for Aid to Refugees
Lead Agency for Social Benefits
The Organization for Aid to Refugees was founded in 1991 as a civic association. OPU is a non-governmental and non-profit organisation providing refugees and other foreigners in the Czech Republic with legal and social assistance, including legal representation. The OPU professionals are prepared to help walk-in clients during regular office hours. In addition, OPU lawyers and social workers regularly visit asylum centres and special detention centres for foreigners in order to help asylum seekers solve their problems. OPU pays particular attention to vulnerable groups of refugees, including children, women, the ill and the handicapped.
Martin Rozumek is an Executive Director of the Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU). He holds a doctor title in international public law from the Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. He has worked with UNHCR as a Protection Officer in Quetta (Pakistan) as well as a Legal Officer at UNHCR in Prague. He is a member of the Czech Governmental Council for Human Rights, a member of the Commission of the Ministry of Labour for Integration of Foreigners as well as an active member of the ECRE network.
Hungarian Helsinki Committee / Hungary
Lead Agency for Freedom of Movement/Detention during Asylum Proceedings
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee monitors the enforcement of human rights enshrined in international human rights instruments, provides legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses falling under its scope of activity, and informs the public about human rights violations. The Committee strives to ensure that domestic legislation guarantees the consistent implementation of human rights norms. It promotes legal education and training both in Hungary and abroad. Its main activities focus on protecting the rights of asylum seekers and foreigners in need of international protection, as well as monitoring the human rights performance of law enforcement agencies and the judicial system. It pays particular attention to detention conditions as well as the effective enforcement of the right to counselling and equality before the law.
Tímea Szabó is a coordinator of the Hungarian Helsinki Committee`s refugee project. She studied political science and communications at József Attila University of Sciences in Hungary and comparative refugee law at Harvard Law School. Before joining the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, she worked in Afghanistan and Pakistan for various international organisations, including CARE International and the International Rescue Committee. Before joining Harvard, she was a Budapest-based journalist, writing for a number of U.S. and British newspapers, magazines and newswires.
PRO ASYL / Germany
Lead Agency for Medical Care and Therapy
PRO ASYL is a non-profit human rights organisation with a base of 13,000 members in its Förderverein ('Friends of') PRO ASYL. Members` contributions and donations are employed in a careful and responsible way so as to achieve common goals. PRO ASYL`s most important activities include: providing assistance in individual cases, public relations, research, supporting local groups, funding legal aid, ongoing action and European cooperation.
Karl Kopp is in charge of European affairs at PRO ASYL and is the head of the ICF network. Karl is also member of the board of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE).
Liliane Danso is the coordinator of ICF at PRO ASYL. She holds a Master of Science in Development Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London. After her studies, Liliane Danso worked as an intern at World Peace Service (Weltfriedensdienst e.V.). She then coordinated the German Civil Peace Service at the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development. Liliane became acquainted with PRO ASYL during her work on refugees issues at UNHCR and also as a parliamentary assistant at the European Parliament.
Annegret Klump is a professional office clerk and the administrator of the ICF network. Before joining ICF, she worked for many years as a secretary in a law office, which specialised in asylum law. Additionally, she gained experience as an assistant and as a secretary in the telecommunication area.
Ruta Haile worked as a secretary for the management of a large company in Dublin. From 2002 until 2004, she worked as a translator for Eritrean and Ethiopian language. She also speaks English and Italian fluently. Ruta assists the ICF administrator in the English-speaking area of the secretary work.
External Partners
European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
ICF works closely with the European Council on Refugees and Exiles, which is the umbrella organisation for co-operation between European non-governmental organisations concerned with refugees. Currently ECRE has 74 member agencies in 29 countries. Principal activities include: policy development and research, advocacy, legal analysis, information services to members, networking and capacity-building in south-eastern, central and eastern Europe. ECRE's work is coordinated by the secretariat in London and an office in Brussels.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Very strong bonds exist between ICF and UNHCR. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. As a humanitarian, non-political organisation, UNHCR has two basic and closely related aims - to protect refugees and to find ways to help them restart their lives in a normal environment.
UNHCR draws its mandate for legal protection from two international agreements, the Convention of 1951 relating to the Status of Refugees and the Protocol as of 1967.
Many of the network partners are UNHCR "implementing" partners. They work closely with the United Nations' refugee organisation and are partly funded by UNHCR.
Supporters
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/funding/refugee/funding_refugee_de.htm#
The European Refugee Fund was created to help the members of the European Union receive asylum seekers, refugees and displaced persons. In line with the provisions of the treaty, the purpose of the ERF is to ensure solidarity between the community and the member states in various fields, including the reception of asylum-seekers and the integration of people enjoying international protection in the EU. The ERF is the largest financial supporter of the ICF project.
UN Refugee Aid Organization (UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V.)
http://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/
The Refugee Aid Organisation (UNO-Flüchtlingshilfe e.V.) is a German NGO, which helps refugees all over the world. As a 'Förderverein' ('Friends of'), the NGO supports UNHCR and UNRWA refugee projects abroad as well as provides aid to humanitarian organisations in Germany.
Applicants
Foundation PRO ASYL dedicates itself to long-term assignments that complement the work of the 'Förderverein' ('Friends of') PRO ASYL. Foundation PRO ASYL supports refugee aid research, dissemination of information and education. In its legal form, Foundation PRO ASYL stands for aid to refugees in the long term.
