Focus аrea: Human rights protection
Project donor organization:
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Project start:
01.2001
Project completion:
06.2007
Refugee Legal Aid Center
The Regional Refugee Legal Assistance Center was established in response to the growing number of people seeking asylum in Ukraine. This problem was particularly acute in Kharkiv, which hosted a significant number of refugees, including from Afghanistan, Africa, and Chechnya.
After granting refugee status, the Center continued to support individuals on issues of social protection, access to education, solving household and administrative problems, as well as integration into Ukrainian society.
An important area of the Center's work was cooperation with educational institutions. As part of this activity, two textbooks for educational institutions were prepared and published, as well as thematic collections of materials dedicated to the protection of refugee rights and human rights in general.
In addition, the Center organized and conducted educational seminars and trainings for employees of migration services and other relevant bodies on international protection, refugee status, and compliance with human rights standards.
1. What are the main difficulties refugees faced when obtaining status?
The most problematic were complex administrative procedures, refusals by migration authorities, and the need to appeal decisions in court.
2. What role did the Regional Center play after granting refugee status?
The Center provided further legal support, assisted in matters of education, social protection, and integration into Ukrainian society.
3. How has the Center's activities been useful for government bodies and educational institutions?
The project was implemented by the public organization "Institute for Applied Humanitarian Research" with the support of the Democracy Fund of the US Embassy in Ukraine.
4. Why was the activity of this Center important for refugees?
The center helped people protect their rights, obtain the necessary legal status, and adapt to life in a new country.