Women's Services
Over half of all the settled asylum seekers and refugees in the UK are women, however the specific needs of women are routinely overlooked in both asylum policy and practice.
Gender sensitive services and community initiatives specifically targeting women are crucial because:
- The asylum system and related services have traditionally ignored the experiences of women (Refugee Action, 2002).
- Women refugees are often fleeing gender-based persecution which continues to impact on their daily lives.
- Some refugee women come from highly gender-segregated and patriarchal societies.
- It is women who often have childcare responsibilities.
- Refugee women face a combination of gender and racial discrimination, particularly in the job market.
- Some refugee women experience gender-based abuse in the UK, such as domestic violence.
The Northern Refugee Centre Women's Development project works with and for refugee and asylum seeking women in Yorkshire and Humberside – from a grass-roots to policy-making level – to ensure their voices are heard and their skills and contributions recognised.
