Earlier this week, Stephen spoke at the launch of the one year evaluation of Breaking the Chains – a partnership project by Newham-based charity Shpresa and the Migrant and Refugee Children’s Legal Unit (MiCLU).
Life for those seeking asylum in this country is difficult. But, since the outbreak of Covid-19, navigating the hostile environment has never been more challenging. Breaking the Chains aims to improve the legal representation available to Albanian speaking young people seeking asylum. It also seeks to amplify their voices as they share the difficulties they face here in the UK.
At the evaluation launch, the young people supported by Shpresa and MiCLU shared their experiences through artwork, spoken word and poetry. In one poem, Shpresa was referred to as “a refuge where we can just be young people.” Their stories communicated in a powerful way that the young people supported by Shpresa and MiCLU are desperate to live fulfilling lives in the UK. However, they are currently stuck at home, with nothing to do but wait for the Home Office to decide their future.
There were also contributions from academics and lawyers. They reported that, since Breaking the Chains began in March 2019, the project has made considerable progress in providing Albanian asylum seekers with the legal advice they need. It was found that Albanian young people in particular have trouble seeking refuge in the UK. For example, in 2016, out of the 229 applicants, only two were recognised as refugees. However, there has been an improvement in the past year with a 9% success rate of young Albanians seeking asylum. There is no denying this improvement occurred alongside the work of Breaking the Chains.
Speaking at the event, Stephen said: “I am grateful to the young people for sharing their honest experiences – in excellent English – and explaining the struggles of the legal system.
I continue to champion Shpresa and MiCLU in their efforts to support and empower vulnerable asylum seekers consistently throughout and prior to the pandemic.
It is vital that the Government takes urgent action to live up to its moral and legal obligations to asylum seekers. It cannot continue to remain complacent on this issue and must put an immediate end to systematic discrimination of Albanian children and young people in the asylum system.”