Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Campaigning
Let them work
STAR is campaigning in 2008/09 for the government to let asylum seekers work.
The right to work is a fundamental right. It is a right that people have fought for through the centuries and across the world. It is a right that is being denied to one of the most vulnerable groups of people living in the UK today. Since 2002, the government has refused permission for almost everyone claiming asylum to work.
The Let Them Work campaign is dedicated to highlighting the injustices experienced by thousands of asylum seekers who are forced into poverty and isolation by being denied the right to work.
Campaign Supporters: Student Action for Refugees (STAR), Refugee Council, TUC & Brighter Futures
Key messages
- Asylum seekers come to Britain in search of sanctuary and protection from persecution. They are not economic migrants who come to Britain in pursuit of a job.
- The government refuses asylum seekers the right to work, and expects them to live on financial assistance which stands at 70% of income support. This forces asylum seekers into dependence on government assistance; they are not ‘scroungers’ who come to Britain with a desire to live off benefits.
- Over 280,000 refused asylum seekers are living in the UK. They are denied permission to work, and deprived of government support, which forces them into destitution. This policy is an attempt to starve asylum seekers into returning to their home countries. This is both inhumane and ineffective.
Resources
Action Guide
This outlines the campaign strategy and offers suggestions on how to take action.
Info Sheet
This explains in more detail the main impacts of denying asylum seekers the right to work.
Leaflet
A promotional tool for distribution. Students can request copies from the national office.
Posted by Stephen Rowling on 22/05/2007 at 03:06 PM
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