On 30 March, we had a pleasure to take part in the RightsCon 2017, the world’s leading event on the future of the internet, organised by Access Now. ENOMW participated in the summit’s stream Empowering at Risk Communities, and spoke at the panel The Digital is the Political: Anti-Oppression Resistance and an Introduction to Migrant Rights for Digital Advocates facilitated by Open Media. Other speakers included The Detention Forum UK, Empower Hack, Chayn and Refugee Info. The goal of this session was to learn more about how digital rights advocates can best amplify and support the work of human rights activists, without trampling over or diverting from the work that is already being done while learning.
The session addressed the needs of the most vulnerable among migrants, asylum seekers, those who are in the camps and detention centers and refugee women and girls, and how digital professionals and activists can help those needs be met. Refugee Info presented their new application, developed by Rescue Committee, that provides trustworthy and reliable information for refugees across such areas as emergency, borders, legal aid and safety.
The Detention Forum UK shared about their recent campaign #Unlocked16 in which they advocated for access to internet and digital technologies for the refugees detained in the UK – the only country in the EU where unlimited detention is legal.
Chayn spoke about their applications designed to help women victims of domestic violence as well as refugee females, pregnant asylum seeking women and mothers.
ENOMW draw attention to the very specific risks to which refugee women are subjected en route, in camps and in Europe in general, drawing on the experiences of our members working with asylum seeking women.