News from the UK

UAI in the UK becomes an Association

On 12 June 2019, 30 founding members came together to set up the United Against Inhumanity Association in the United Kingdom – UAI in the UK. Members adopted a Constitution that commits the Association to support UAI’s Call to Action, and elected a Committee of 12 members to take forward the work of the Association. The Committee had its first meeting on 2 July and held a Strategy planning session on 3 August. 

Programme for 2019-20

The Association’s Programme for 2019-20 is likely to focus on:

Destitution and homelessness of newly recognised refugees in the UK. A particularly cruel feature of the UK asylum process is that government support is abruptly stopped only 28 days after a positive decision is taken, leaving too little time for refugees to sign up for work or obtain alternative forms of support (welfare benefits or social housing), resulting frequently in destitution and homelessness.
– Contact persons: Kama Petruczenko ; Randolph Kent

  1. Criminalisation of asylum in Europe – in collaboration with UAI in Berlin – Contact person: Sara Palacios Arapiles
  2. Detention of asylum-seekers and refugees in the UK and elsewhere. UAI in the UK is preparing a short background paper on this issue as a starting point for joint work with other groups in Europe and elsewhere. – Contact persons: Helia Lopez ; Mona Mahmood
  3. The right to education for all children affected by conflict. Tens of thousands of children, refugees, internally displaced and others whose education has been disrupted by war,  are being denied their right to receive an education, while the international community seems powerless to intervene – Contact person: Saba Al Mubaslat
  4. Protection of Civilians and Common Article 1 of the Geneva Conventions. The UK Government is reviewing its Protection of Civilians Strategy and UAI in the UK is part of an NGO group advising on the new strategy – Contact person: Martin Barber
  5. The Inhumanity Index. The index will be linked to the Independent Humanitarian Watch (IHW) currently being developed by UAI – Contact person: Mark Bowden
  6. Promoting UAI among humanitarian leaders in Africa and Asia. UAI plans to meet with humanitarian leaders from Africa and Asia in the margins of three important conferences between October 2019 and March 2020 and encourage them to join the UAI movement – Contact person: Michael Mosselmans

Resource Mobilisation

UAI in the UK has written to 16 humanitarian NGOs in the UK to seek support for UAI’s work programme.

Contacts for membership and supporters

To apply to become a member of UAI in the UK or to subscribe as a supporter, please write to:

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