women in london

Rights of Women: FREE seminar and debate on proposed changes to migration law and policy

When?
2.30-4.30pm, Tuesday 6 September 2011

Where?
Kings Cross, London

What?
The UK Border Agency (UKBA), the agency responsible for controlling migration to the UK, has opened two consultations setting out proposals to dramatically change the rules around migration in the areas of family migration and employment-related settlement.

These proposals have serious implications for the safety and well-being of migrant women and if implemented would place the Government at risk of breaching its obligations under domestic and international human rights law.

The Government has an obligation to protect all women in the UK from gender-based violence, regardless of their immigration status. Yet these proposals risk placing women at greater risk. The family migration consultation proposes to extend the probationary period (the length of time a spouse must wait before applying for indefinite leave to remain, ILR) from 2 to 5 years in partner and other family cases, exposing migrant women to a risk of remaining trapped in an abusive relationship. The employment-related settlement consultation proposes major reforms that we and others believe will result in a dramatic increase in the abuse and trafficking of migrant domestic workers in the UK.

This seminar and debate will equip you with an understanding of the main proposals and enable you to respond to the consultation to ensure that the rights of the women that you work with are upheld. Template consultation responses will be provided and discussed. Speakers include Kate Roberts, Community Advocate from Kalayaan and Catherine Briddick, Senior Legal Officer from Rights of Women. Other speakers will be confirmed.

Who should attend?
This seminar and debate is open to members of the Women’s Migration and Asylum Network and representatives from voluntary and statutory sector organisations interested in finding out about, and campaigning on, women’s rights within the family justice system. It is open to women and men and will be publicised widely.

How to book
This seminar is free of charge but booking is essential. Download the booking form from our website here: http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/current.php and email it back to Rights of Women on events@row.org.uk or send it by fax on 0207 490 5377.

Space is limited.
You will receive confirmation of your space upon booking.

If you need further information or have difficulties downloading the form, contact the office on 0207 251 6575.

Additional documents

Family migration

You can download the full UKBA consultation paper and view the response form on the UKBA website here. Rights of Women will develop a template response to this consultation to assist anyone wishing to submit a response, which will be available to download from our website by the second week in September. It will be discussed at the seminar.

Employment related migration

You can download the full UKBA consultation paper and view the response form on the UKBA website here http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/consultations/employment-related-settlement/. We are most concerned about the impact of these proposals on migrant domestic workers. Kalayaan, an organisation working to achieve justice for migrant domestic workers in the UK has developed a template response to this consultation to help you submit a response which you can download from the homepage of their website: http://www.kalayaan.org.uk/