Refugees in Australia

Australian Electoral Commission search: find your federal electorate, and the name of the incumbent House of Representatives Member.

Health-based umbrella organisation with 140 member organisations in 70+ countries. Rehabilitation & justice for victims, prevention. A variety of publications available for download, from academic studies on the use of specific torture methods to forensic training to campaign materials, including a guide for NGOs on how to use the UPR to influence governments. Based in Denmark, offices in Brussels & Geneva.

Government site. Policies, procedures, reports, bureaucracy.

Brotherhood of St Laurence (Anglican Church) social justice organisation. Provides assistance to refugees: family support, employment training, tutoring for children, research, advocacy.

Sydney-based grassroots activist/campaigning organisation. Rallies, marches, public education, civil disobedience. A variety of fact sheets, posters and campaign materials can be downloaded from the site.

Catholic Church (Sisters of the Good Shepherd) organisation: social justice, especially for disadvantaged and marginalised women and girls. Refugee rights advocacy, research funding. Report on long-term health effects of mandatory detention available from the site.

Support for community based asylum seekers in greater metropolitan Sydney; some support for those in rural NSW where possible. Advocacy, policy work, social justice aims. On-site health clinic. Volunteering opportunities. Funded by the Good Shepherd Sisters and philanthropic donations.

Support for refugees: accommodation, financial assistance, education, referrals, pastoral visits to detention centres. Research & advocacy, cooperation with govt & NGOs on policy development, especially regional framework. International Catholic Church organisation (Jesuit).

Carramar, Sydney. Support for asylum seekers and refugees. Housing, food, no-interest loans, advocacy, education. Some great community-building programs such as welcome dinners and cooking lessons.

Information regarding the Universal Periodic Review (United Nations review of human rights practices of all states). The UPR can be useful in human rights campaigning; see NGOs section of website for some ideas.

The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST). FASSTT member. Melbourne-based but with a number of offices across Victoria. Services for refugee survivors of torture or war-related trauma: counselling, advocacy, information, complementary therapies. Also participates in research and policy, and papers on a variety of refugee issues can be downloaded in pdf form. There is also a book of women refugees' stories available ("Where is the Justice? Stories from behind closed doors" (2008) by Rosa Vasseghi). VFST is supported by federal and state governments, philanthropic organisations and public donations.

Report by Human Rights Watch, February 26, 2013. Detailed accounts of 75 cases of alleged rape and sexual abuse that occurred from 2006-2012 in both official and secret detention centers throughout Sri Lanka.

NSW non-profit specialising in immigration and refugee issues and policy. Advocacy, policy & law reform, immigration education, professional development for legal practitioners, free advice for financially disadvantaged immigrants and refugees (NSW only).

Intergovernmental organisation with 149 member states and 12 observer states; a number of NGOs also have observer status. Provides services and advice to governments and migrants. Many publications available for download from the site.

European-based international organisation with 15 member states. Provides governments with information and advice on migration-related issues. Research and fact sheets available on a number of issues, including asylum.

US-based organisation focussing on women and children refugees and internally displaced people. Part of the International Rescue Committee. Research and reports based on fact-finding missions, information and training resources for NGOs. Plenty of information on issues affecting displaced women.

Specialist community legal centre in Fitzroy, Victoria. Casework, free advice, education and training, policy development, law reform, advocacy. Volunteering opportunities. Funded by federal and state government grants and public donations.

Resource for lawyers and others representing refugees and building asylum cases.

Melbourne NGO providing support for asylum seekers, as well as public awareness and advocacy campaigns. Lots of mythbusters/fact sheets and similar campaign resources available from the website. Email newsletter available. Volunteering opportunities (Melbourne only).

Musical collaborations between Australian artists and refugees. Two albums available. Profits go to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Human Rights Arts and Film Festival and Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning (SAIL). Sponsored by Amnesty International, Human Rights Arts and Film Festival, Media Arts Lawyers, Northcity 4, Symphonic Pixels, Riot House Publicity.