Fenwick & West’s Post

With the news of the #IllegalMigrationBill set to become law, our hearts go out to survivors of slavery and trafficking. Under this new law, people like Mara* who have been trafficked may experience greater vulnerability and traffickers will likely operate with greater impunity. With this new Bill, women like Mara who was trafficked into the UK for sexual exploitation, may not receive justice. Instead they face being deported, if they entered the UK via irregular means, even if they were trafficked. This is not just. Our priority will always be for justice, freedom, and protection of survivors of modern slavery - regardless of how they come to be in the UK. We've maintained that the new #IllegalMigrationBill will protect traffickers rather than people who have been trafficked. 🚔 Mara’s three traffickers were found guilty this year. Mara found support and justice. It is truly devastating to think that many survivors of slavery may not be able to receive the same support. We continue to stand with survivors of modern slavery and those who deserve protection, safeguarding and justice, #UntilAllAreFree. Read Mara's story: https://lnkd.in/efrEDyx8 *Pseudonym #UKPolitics #Migration #Immigration #HumanTrafficking #Slavery #ModernSlavery #Survivors

We have exciting news to share with you all! Sojourner House has been awarded a 2-year $400,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice – Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to launch a Legal Services program for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. We were one of eight organizations across the nation to receive award funding through their Expanding Legal Services Initiative (ELSI). In Sojourner House’s 47-year history, we’ve never had a licensed attorney on staff to provide programmatic support to clients, and this transformative grant will change that. 💜 Once launched, the Legal Services program will provide Sojourner House clients who are undocumented with access to direct-legal representation in the areas of divorce, custody, housing and eviction, and labor law. The program will focus on supporting immigrant victims of abuse and help to expand the scope of the agency’s existing Immigration Advocacy program– which has been an invaluable resource to the RI community since its creation in 2012. We’re thrilled to be able to expand our service offerings and make legal assistance accessible to all survivors. To read the full press release detailing this expansion, click the link below. https://lnkd.in/emuBhPPc #rinews #rhodeisland #ribar #newenglandlaw #massbar #ri #providence #newenglandliving #rhodypride

As we wait for more ministerial appointments by the new UK Government to see who will have responsibility for tackling modern slavery, we reiterate our recommendations for what any administration that truly wants to help victims and survivors should be doing in its first 100 days in office: 1. Engage and consult with at-risk communities and survivors of modern slavery 2. Implement a cross-government response to modern slavery 3. Introduce legislation to protect workers’ and survivors’ rights 4. Amend statutory guidance to facilitate identification and access to support 5. Create guidance for victim support roles (Independent Modern Slavery Advocates) under the Victim and Prisoner Act 2024 6. Ensure survivors can access compensation 7. Strengthen the Transparency in Supply Chains provisions of the Modern Slavery Act Full details at the link. https://lnkd.in/eBuE9Gst #ModernSlavery #ModernSlaveryAct #IMSAs #Legislation #NewGovernment #HomeOffice

ZafiroLaw's newest blog post shines a light on the impact of domestic violence on immigrant families. Uncover the resources and legal options that empower victims to lead a life of dignity and safety. https://bit.ly/3sfhxeY #Empowerment #LegalSupport #ZafiroLaw

ZafiroLaw's newest blog post shines a light on the impact of domestic violence on immigrant families. Uncover the resources and legal options that empower victims to lead a life of dignity and safety. https://bit.ly/3sfhxeY #Empowerment #LegalSupport #ZafiroLaw

We were featured in The Providence Journal yesterday! Many thanks to Wheeler Cowperthwaite for the write up. Visit the link below to read the article and learn about the new federal funding that will enable Sojourner House to provide legal services to undocumented survivors of abuse. https://lnkd.in/eUsfj2YS #rhodeisland #providence #domesticviolenceawarenessmonth

This initiative by Lawyers for Human Rights and IDC Monitor is a significant step towards more humane and just immigration practices. Ending immigration detention is not only a matter of human rights but also a call for more effective and compassionate policy solutions. Let's support this movement and contribute to a more equitable future. https://lnkd.in/dNWHQ-uG #ImmigrationReform #HumanRights #SADCRights #AlternativesToDetention #MigrantRights #Equity #CompassionatePolicy #RegionalCollaboration #EndImmigrationDetention #SADCMigration #Advocacy #LegalReform

I hadn't been following the Brook House Enquiry but caught Channel 4 news segment. Kate Eves Chair of the enquiry through the interview stated we needed far greater transparency and that if anyone wanted to understand a little more about how migrants are being treated they should look at Brook House Enquiry YouTube site, so I did (link below). Warning if you are going to watch some of the video clips, there are very upsetting scenes and are not suitable for children. There are links to various programmes related to the enquiry. There is also a link to the report below which is 3 Volumes (I haven't had an opportunity to fully read). As I understand it the whole story was broken originally by BBC News so the benefits of investigative journalism. Brook House was originally managed by G4S and subsequently Serco under contract to the Home Office, I assume formally competed under #procurement regulations and subject to contract management, but I haven't checked that. I believe both G4S and Serco are also part of the strategic supplier programme for UK government. I have been looking at #humanrights issues and #modernslavery in supply chains and building approaches to improve how we manage many of these challenges so it is was pretty shocking to watch some the video's, remembering these are people, many are very vulnerable and have suffered greatly and are under the protection of the state. G4S have all the usual ESG reporting on their website including Staff Wellbeing etc. (will have submitted KPI's for the contract to Home Office and as a strategic supplier to Cabinet Office), I searched their website for Brook House and found a number of stories including: HMIP Report into Brook House: Safe, Secure and Well-Run (24 Sep 2019 08:41) Independent monitors report detainee safety is ‘paramount’ at Gatwick IRCs (19 Jun 2019 09:00) Update regarding Brook House Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) (04 Sep 2017 22:14) - this is about staff suspensions to be balanced There was no statement I could see on the G4S website about the enquiry final report. In the Executive Summary, several statements stood out: 'There is no higher role for the State than as a guardian of all those in its care. This is particularly important for non-citizens, whose rights in the UK are more limited. Their precarious status makes them inherently more vulnerable, particularly when factors such as language barriers, poor health or other characteristics intersect with this fundamental vulnerability. Moreover, the potentially lasting impact of detention on individuals means that the State has a moral duty to ensure that those it detains are treated fairly, humanely, and with dignity and respect.' and 'However, stress and distress should not be accepted as ‘inevitable’ for those who are detained, nor indeed for those who work with detained people. Rather, they are warning signs to which the Home Office, its contractors and monitoring bodies should be continually alert.'

Today marks the anniversary of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, which presented its final report on 15 April 1991. Initiated in 1987 by the Australian Government, this commission emerged in response to growing concerns regarding the frequent and often unexplained deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals while in state and territory detention. The comprehensive final report, comprising 339 recommendations, emerged as a testament to the resilience and determination of Indigenous communities to address systemic issues. These recommendations centered on fostering self-determination, curbing over-policing in First Nations communities, and diminishing the disproportionate incarceration rates of Indigenous peoples. Acknowledging the overrepresentation of Australia’s First Nations peoples in incarceration is a crucial step, although more actions beyond mere recommendations are needed for true justice to prevail. As we reflect on this anniversary, let it serve as a beacon of strength and resilience, guiding us to persist in our fight for justice, accountability, and tangible reform. Together, let us continue striving for a future where such tragedies become relics of the past. #Thirrili #stopblackdeathsincustody

This report was published by Save the Children International in July 2023, highlighting the ongoing violence and abuse of Palestinian children under detention. Save the Children International #stopthewaronchildren #childprotection #childrenofgaza