Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project’s Post

A lack of trust based on historic discrimination has damaged the relationship between Roma families and children’s services in England, according to a new research report published today which calls for new Government strategy to promote social inclusion. The report was carried out by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University, Lancaster University and the charity Law for Life. The report features the voices of Roma communities in England, and researchers also interviewed social care and legal professionals, in addition to examining previous literature on the subject. Uniquely, this study examined legal cases referenced against child safeguarding practice reviews involving Roma families and reviewed a range of policies implemented over the past 15 years which impact families in contact with child protection systems. The research found that Roma communities tend to mistrust and fear authorities due to their experiences of historic persecution across Europe. It also found that social workers, frequently conflate the impact of poverty with neglect. It found that the challenges faced by Roma families in their interactions with children’s services are deeply rooted in experiences of historical discrimination, societal biases, and systemic failures in processes. To read more about this research: https://ow.ly/2FLt50SYmNZ #ARUProud #ARUResearch #RomaCommunities #ChildrenServices

Welcome to Day 10 of my Gender Based Violence and Public Policy series. Yesterday, we looked into the crucial role played by NGOs and community initiatives in supporting victims of GBV. Today, I want to approach this topic through a narrative example to ensure it’s relatable and understandable. Imagine meeting Fatima, a dedicated social worker based in Lagos. She tirelessly supports GBV victims through her work at a local NGO. Despite her passion, Fatima faces numerous challenges that hinder her efforts. Her NGO struggles with limited funding, which affects their ability to provide safe shelters and legal aid. Recognizing the need for more resources, Fatima advocates vigorously for increased budget allocations, launching public campaigns and engaging policymakers to highlight this critical need. Another significant challenge Fatima confronts is the lack of specialized training for law enforcement personnel. Many cases of GBV are mishandled due to a lack of understanding and sensitivity. To address this issue, Fatima advocates for the government to partner with international organizations to provide comprehensive training programs for police, healthcare providers, and judicial staff on handling GBV cases with the care and respect victims deserve. Fatima emphasizes the importance of community engagement. Many victims are unaware of their rights and available support services. She organizes workshops and seminars, leveraging local influencers and community leaders to raise awareness and empower individuals to seek assistance. Despite her efforts, Fatima recognizes existing gaps in GBV laws and enforcement mechanisms. Legal loopholes often leave victims unprotected. Working alongside legal experts and policymakers, Fatima advocates for a thorough review and strengthening of these laws to ensure robust enforcement and accessible legal aid for victims. Collaboration is key in Fatima's approach. She fosters partnerships between government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to combine resources and expertise. These joint efforts enhance the effectiveness of GBV policies and provide a comprehensive support network for victims. Who is Fatima? Fatima is who we ought to be, who we should aspire to be. It’s never too late to start advocating for change and supporting those in need. Each of us can contribute to making these changes a reality. By working together, we can ensure that the support and protection for GBV victims are strengthened. This is so important, and I really hope we learn from this. #oshionetalkspolicy

FREE ARTICLE: A startling study reveals the harsh reality of evictions leading to homelessness. With U.S. eviction rates soaring above other developed nations, the consequences are dire. But could a proposed legal aid in Los Angeles be the beacon of hope? Adam Murray, Executive Director of Inner City Law Center, highlights the critical link between legal representation and the fight against homelessness. Full insights just a click away! #EvictionCrisis #Homelessness #LegalAid #HousingRights https://lnkd.in/gr4e5dNU

The Daily Journal is making available for free this excellent piece about the importance of legal representation during evictions. Written by Adam Murray, the Inner City Law Center's Executive Director, the article shows how Right to Counsel (RTC) programs, especially robust ones, can save homes and reduce homelessness in a community such as Los Angeles. The only points I would add--after working on RTC issues since 2018 and overseeing Santa Monica's pilot RTC program for two years--are Bob Dylan song lyrics and then my sense that RTC programs eventually bring deterrence. The song lyrics in a minute, but deterrence develops because some landlords and their attorneys, I believe, will be less likely to file unfounded, bad faith, or discriminatory evictions if they know that the tenants will be well represented. As statistics show that with an attorney a tenant's chances of keeping their home rockets up to 80 or 90 %, the eviction field is leveled, forcing landlords to think twice before filing. All of which reminds me of the tenant's closing words to his landlord in Dylan's "Dear Landlord" from 1967. Now, each of us has his own special gift And you know this was meant to be true And if you don't underestimate me I won't underestimate you. ***

MCARE partnered with the U Miami Law School Human Rights Clinic to file a United Nations human rights complaint against the City of Miami Beach for its ordinance that prohibits the homeless from sleeping on public property. Because Miami Beach prohibits shelters from operating within its city limits, the homeless face the inhumane choice of arrest or deportation out of city. As a result, the homeless now account for an astonishing 40% of all arrests made in Miami Beach in 2024, as the city enages in a fiscally irresponsible endless cycle of arrest and recidivsm. We also filed a United Nations human rights complaint against the City of Miami for its attempts to starve the homeless through enforcement of its Large Group Feeding ordinance that prohibits charities from serving food to groups of the homeless without first obtaining a highly restrictive permit. That permit allows once per week group food service only in three parking lots in downtown Miami, thus authorizing police to harass and chase away charities that feed the poor. These criminalization policies are cruel, inhumane and ultimately futile. Food does not "incentivize" homelessness because no one freely leaves the safety and security of a home to live unsheltered on city streets, exposed to theft, violence, the elements and constant sleep deprivation. And Miami Beach will soon learn that it is impossible for that city to arrest its way out of homelessness because people are not homeless by choice; rather, they are homeless because they lack choices. Miami and Miami Beach must stop punishing the poor, and instead invest in the more effective and less expensive alternative of permanent supportive housing which will end chronic homelessness.

Open Door Legal , a DRK portfolio organization, is pioneering the country’s first system of universal access to legal help for low-income communities. Their vision is that San Fransisco — and eventually the world — will be a place where no one is prevented from seeking justice because they cannot afford it. Nobody is turned away. To date, Open Door Legal has completed over 3,300 full-scope cases for people in San Francisco, and they have expanded to cover over two-thirds of SF’s low-income population. According to a recent study, Open Door Legal’s free aid reduced homelessness by nearly half in San Francisco's Bayview neighborhood, proving that universal access to representation is the most cost-effective way to reduce homelessness. Read the San Francisco Examiner’s article detailing the positive impact of Open Door Legal’s scaling work: https://lnkd.in/gkAzgpnH Adrian Tirtanadi

Exciting news! A research study conducted about the work I did at Open Door Legal is now available as a working paper on the SSRN website. The preliminary results reveal a remarkable 5.38% decrease in homelessness rates among individuals who received free legal services. Kudos to Adrian Tirtanadi and his research team for conducting this impactful study! #civiljustice #socialimpact #accesstojustice #OpenDoorLegal

The ABA Commission on Homelessness and Poverty and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness collaborated on an article highlighting important legal and justice work in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Learn more about the unique role that lawyers can play in preventing youth homelessness here: https://lnkd.in/dPNrMswv. Similar to the work we've done mapping existing legal services for youth experiencing homelessness domestically, we are collecting information on legal issues and existing programs around the globe. Please share this global survey (https://lnkd.in/dY-6BrDv) with your networks outside of the U.S. As a reminder, you can find our ABA Homeless Youth Legal Network Directory (domestic) here: https://lnkd.in/dhaaa-jw. If there's a program in your state that's not included, please complete this domestic survey (https://lnkd.in/dGirDeiS) so we can be sure it's included.

We've had a recent study done on my org-- and the research is pretty mind-blowing: "In short, the researchers found that homelessness decreased 47% in District 10 between 2011 and 2022 but increased by more than 50% across the rest of the city during the same time period. Had Open Door Legal not existed in District 10, the researchers estimated homelessness would have risen there by about 20%." read more!: https://lnkd.in/eJdt6V3x

Women's Aid Opinion by Sarah Benson. The recent verdict which saw Cathal Crotty avoiding a jail term after beating Natasha O’Brien unconscious, calls into question Ireland's national strategy of zero tolerance of violence against women. The record is clear – a man, a serving member of the Defence Forces, can brutally attack a woman in public view, gloat about it on social media and attempt to blame the victim yet be referred to in court as ‘exemplary,’ ‘polite’ and ‘professional.’ One cannot square that circle. Any act of violence against women, whether it is someone close, an intimate partner or a stranger, is utterly appalling and is of grave concern. Ireland needs to take seriously its commitment to women’s safety, and we had hoped that we as a country were in a better place than where this case suggests. Unfortunately, Natasha O’Brien’s case is not unique. We have had high-profile cases before which felt like watershed moments. In 2022, the country was appalled by the murder of Ashling Murphy. The reaction brought a focus and attention to gender-based violence, like never before. However, since Ashling’s murder, twenty-one more women have died in violent circumstances in Ireland. Again and again, women like Natasha are let down by a society and structures of justice which are failing to protect victims of gender-based violence. It is an unfair burden that any victim feels that they did not receive justice and must speak publicly to have their voice heard. The awful reality is that women are being harmed and brutalised every single day in this country, mostly behind closed doors. Natasha’s case came in the same week that Women’s Aid launched its Annual Impact Report for 2023 detailing 40,048 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and children. This was an 18% increase in disclosures of domestic abuse compared to the previous year and the highest ever received in our 50-year history. The number and nature of the disclosures of abuse to our frontline services is utterly appalling. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. One in four women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse and there are also so many children, families and whole communities also impacted. Fear, stigma, and self-blame due to the impact of the abuse – but also persisting social attitudes to domestic violence prevent victims from coming forward. Every woman should have the right to be safe, both in their own homes and in their communities. We need a zero tolerance to all forms of male violence against women and it will take all of us to commit to lasting change. This includes men who must act as allies in tackling misogyny and gender inequality. There needs to be an investment in resources for education to change attitudes and we need an improved criminal justice system that better protects women. If we do this, we will ultimately create a more equal and safer society for everyone – men and women alike.