We believe that all refugee families should be able to live together if they wish and that all families fleeing persecution should be given the same treatment by the UK government.
We welcome the safe and legal routes that the UK government has opened up to people fleeing from Ukraine but feel it is important that this opens up discussion about the extension of additional safe and legal routes to those fleeing persecution from around the world.
Every day we see clients who have been impacted by war, persecution and trauma and we are pleased to see the efforts being made to support Ukrainian families in their new host countries, both in the UK and Eastern Europe.
For 10 years we have worked with a specific client group to meet a specific need and we are proud of the specialist knowledge we offer and the reputation we have built up in UK refugee communities. Whilst we are not a crisis response organisation, we have been speaking with the sector to understand whether there is a need for our service to be extended to families utilising the new routes to enter the UK. We welcome conversations with any organisations who have identified a need for flights for low-income families.
Our client group have routinely showed incredible compassion and empathy towards others facing the same challenges as them. However, we understand that the families we work with will be impacted both practically and emotionally, by feeling that their right to family reunion is being treated differently to that of Ukrainian nationals whilst they are desperately concerned about the safety of their partners and children.
Whilst the accommodations made by the UK government are rightly made in response to the urgent need of those fleeing Ukraine, we hope the Home Office will consider extending some of these adjustments to those of other nationalities, particularly those with similarly compelling circumstances.
We are heartened by the response of the public in the UK in their overwhelming sentiment and support to Ukrainian families, particularly those who have opened up their homes and communities to provide much needed assistance for families in crisis. As the Nationalities and Borders Bill progresses through parliament, we hope this sentiment will encourage politicians to scrap this bill in favour of an equitable asylum system that treats those within it with compassion and dignity.
Finally, we would like to extend our solidarity and thanks to those organisations who have responded so quickly to ensure that Ukrainian refugees have been supported and welcomed into new communities.
Anyone wanting to discuss travel requirements for Ukrainian refugees who cannot afford to reach the UK please contact us at enquiries@togethernow.org.uk. To get advice on getting a visa to enter the UK please visit this website: iasservices.org.uk/visa-concessions-for-ukrainians-in-the-uk/
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