This announcement is for anyone interested in attending either of the 2 detention workshops
being held in conjunction with the Asia Pacific
Consultation on Refugee Rights in KL next
month. Expressions of interest and comments in response to this announcement can be directed to Grant Mitchell of the International Detention Coaliton (contact details at end of announcement).
The
International Detention Coalition and the Association for the Prevention of
Torture IDC will be running a training
Workshop on Detention Monitoring and Torture Prevention the
day after the conference on the 22nd of November from 9-12.30pm,
details attached. We
have limited places for this meeting, so please email your interest to attend,
including name, title and organisation, to: sarahl@oxfam.org.au. The session is
aimed particularly at practitioner human
rights and welfare groups active or interested in visiting places of
detention. Please note, SUHAKAM, the Human Rights Commission of
Malaysia, will also be invited to this
session.
We
are seeking input from individuals with active experience in detention
monitoring or torture prevention for this session, so please feel free to email
me if you would like to input into this session.
The International Detention Coalition will also be running
a Detention Advocacy Workshop at
the conference. (Note: The Refugee Health and Refugee
Legal sessions will also be running at the same time.)
We
are keen to get input about how to best use the Detention Workshop session, so
feel free to email me your thoughts. In particular I am looking for a couple
of people who would be interested to share their experiences for 5 -10 minutes
on the innovative work they have been undertaking on detention issues in
the region. Some
examples we have come across are: work
on detention policy; community education;
services to detainees; visiting and monitoring places of detention; how
those services can form the basis of research and advocacy for change; lobbying
initiatives; how groups are creating their own alternatives to detention; and
work being done to prevent torture and refoulement.
The
IDC has 30 members in the Asia Pacific region working on detention issues, and
we have been hearing of the numerous detention concerns in the region, many
of which have been raised by members in the recent IDC
Global Detention Survey findings, attached.
The
key regional issues raised, amongst others, included:
1)
Conditions and rights of detainees
2)
Monitoring of places of detention
3)
Children in Detention
4)
Refugees detained and refoulement occurring
5)
Lack of services for detainees, including healthcare
6)
Lack of legal aid for detainees
7)
Need for alternatives to detention
8)
Need to work more effectively individually and together in our region for
detainees; and
9)
Using the human rights mechanism and shared experiences.
Our
current thinking for the session is:
- To
identify key detention priorities in the region: -
Introduction aim of workshop, and group introduce themselves and share the key
priority in their work on detention issues. (15 minutes)
- To
share information, experience and best practice on detention service and
advocacy in the region:
4 people present their innovative work on detention issues- 5- 10 minutes each (40
minutes)
- Brainstorm
recommendations for the broader plenary based on the priorities
identified.
What is needed in the region, how do we work more efficiently together on this
issue, and what recommendations we can take to the broader plenary? 20
minutes
Let
me know if you have any additional thoughts or comments.
We
hope the session will provide more detail of these concerns and inspiration and
ideas for working together for change.
Cheers
Grant
Grant Mitchell
International Detention Coalition
C/132 Leicester
St
Carlton, Vic, 3053
Australia
Tel: +61 3 92899303
Mobile: +61
403194665
Fax: +61 3 9347 1495
Email:
gmitchell@idcoalition.orgWeb:
www.idcoalition.orgSkype:
int.detention.coalition
Extension: 3303
