Southern Refugee Legal Advocacy Network (SRLAN)

Abstract

In countries around the world, there are increasing numbers of new organizations and programs aimed at provided rights-based advocacy for refugees. Many of these programs focus on legal aid and counseling, while others are concerned with research, monitoring and policy advocacy. All such organizations are bound by a common desire to root refugee assistance in human rights and international law. These rights-based organization have often been unique within their own countries and isolated from each other internationally. Organization face common challenges, but opportunities to learn from each other's experiences are not fully developed. At a global level, refugee advocacy is dominated by large humanitarian agencies. But slowly and informally, rights-based refugee organizations have been increasing their cooperation, information sharing and coordinated advocacy. This charter is initiated in hopes of transforming the disparate refugee rights organizations into a global movement to expand and improve the protection of refugees in parts of the world where focus on refugee rights has been lacking. To implement this vision, this network of organizations will work collaboratively and in concert to strengthen and expand our rights bases refugee advocacy and legal aid both globally and locally.