SSI and APRRN ongoing partnership advances refugee protection in the Asia Pacific

Photo is captured during the 7th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights (APCRR7).

 The Asia Pacific region hosts a significant number of the world’s refugees and is also the site of some of the world’s most acute and protracted refugee situations in which at least 25,000 refugees from the same country have been living in exile for more than five consecutive years.

With the challenges facing refugees in this region, civil society organisations and individuals from across the region agreed to establish the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN) in November 2008.

As a longstanding member, and a partner since 2017, SSI has supported APRRN’s activities in key areas, including joint advocacy for refugee rights at national, regional and international levels.

APRRN members are diverse, comprising service providers, human rights advocacy groups, research institutions, lawyers and law firms providing pro-bono legal aid, and refugee community-based organisations.

SSI supports APRRN to advance refugee protection in the region through APRRN’s regional and international advocacy, civil society coordination, and capacity strengthening of NGOs.

SSI Senior Policy Officer Carmen Ghaly said SSI’s partnership with APRRN had several aims, including strengthening the capacity and sustainability of APRRN’s Secretariat to coordinate its membership and refugee rights advocacy.

“SSI and APRRN’s shared values in advancing refugee rights in the region and strengthening the capacity of the sector are at the core of our partnership,” she said.

“SSI is excited to continue its partnership with APRRN and support the work of the Secretariat and the network.”

Program Coordinator APRRN Secretariat Janeen Sawatzky said that APRRN was excited to be soon receiving training from SSI in the areas of a trauma-informed practice.

“APRRN is excited to have SSI supporting and partnering with us on our Short Course on Refugee Rights and Advocacy this year – lending their expertise and bringing critical insights on trauma-informed practice to guide strategic advocacy efforts.”

Other activities between the affiliated organisations include knowledge sharing and capacity-strengthening, and addressing responses to key protection challenges, focusing on legal aid, advocacy, refugee law, mental health, gender issues, statelessness, and alternatives to detention.

SSI and APRRN have shared values and principles, and alignment on specific goals such as a commitment to the Global Compact on Refugees and pledges made at the Global Refugee Forum, including refugee leadership and protection.

The partnership also aims to facilitate the organisation and implementation of APRRN’s 8th Asia Pacific Consultation on Refugee Rights (APCRR8) and Regional Protection Forum in October 2021 and to continue supporting the annual implementation of APRRN’s annual Short Course on “Refugee Rights and Advocacy”.