NEWSLETTER
JULY - SEPTEMBER 2015
APPEALS TO HOME AFFAIRS FOR REJECTIONS OF ZSPs
In August 2014 the department of Home Affairs introduced the Zimbabwean Special Project (ZSP). However, throughout 2015 many Zimbabwean applicants have been rejected due to various reasons many of which are no fault of their own but a reflection of technical problems within the department of Home Affairs. For this reason, through the whole months of July, August and September, PASSOP has been writing appeals to Home Affairs, objecting to these rejections. In only three months, PASSOP collected over 250 of them. In the end of August, the department of Home Affairs has started reviewing the ZSP rejections. Since then, we started receiving good news in this regard: permits are now being released to many previously rejected Zimbabweans.
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MEMORIAL SERVICE FOROUR COLLEGUE EUNICE AND GOODS DONATION (DISABLED CHILDREN SPECIAL PROJECT)
On the 17th of July, we held a memorial for our friend and colleague Eunice MurwiraRuneniTininga, who sadly passed away last May. We miss her gentle, selfless spirit and support her family in this moment of sorrow. On this day, we commemorated our friend Eunice and donated goods that she collected while working on the Disabled Children Special Project (DCSP) to parents, children and members of the LGBTI community.
MONTHLY SOCIAL EVENT FOR LGBTI ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
Part of PASSOP’s work concerns the LGBTI community of refugees and asylum seekers. In addition to assistance with paralegal advice and other issues, PASSOP works to empower LGBTI individuals through the offer of training courses, awareness raising events and through the establishment of a broad, solid social network. For this reason, we are now running a project especially dedicated to the LGBTI community of refugees and asylum seekers. This will consist in a monthly social event where topics relevant for them will be discussed in an educational and informal setting. This will be an occasion to discuss about topics of their interest, and to acquire practical skills that will allow them to gain competitiveness on the job market.
The first monthly appointment took place on the 29th of August: Matthew Beetar, a South African student and researcher from the University of Sussex, led a workshop for our LGBTI members on homophobia and xenophobia. The participants were enthusiastic about the outcome of the workshop, which successfully highlighted the main issues concerning homophobic and xenophobic behaviors and the impact that media has in this regard.
CONTRIBUTION OF PASSOP IN DOCUMENTARY ON LGBTI COMMUNITY BY DUTCH BROADCASTER BNN
In the beginning of September, the Dutch Broadcaster BNN visited Cape Town to shoot a documentary for their travel programme “BNN Abroad”. The aim of the documentary is to raise awareness on the situation of homosexual refugees in South Africa. For this reason, they contacted PASSOPto learn about its work with the LGBTI community of refugees and asylum seekers. They interviewed our LGBTI project coordinator and one of our volunteers to investigate the situation of LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa and the difficulties they encounter. We are thankful for this collaboration and looking forward to seeing the outcome of the documentary!
WOMEN AND LGBTI PROJECT: HELP DESKS
PASSOP is working on a project that entails the creation of two help desks for women and LGBTI refugees in Masiphumelele and ImizamoYethu. The final aim of the project is to empower the members of the local community, specifically women and LGBTI individuals, and to increase the general awareness about LGBTI and gender rights. At the help desks, they will be helped with CV building and in the search of work opportunities; they will be provided with information regarding their rights and offered paralegal support for documentation, labor rights, health care, education, housing, banking and other community issues.
REFUGEE AMENDMENT BILL
The draft of the Refugee Amendment Act was published on August 6, 2015 on the Government Gazette No. 39067, vol. 602. This is a proposal to amend the Refugee Act, implemented in 1998.
The Amendment Act is still a draft; the National Assembly will discuss it and take a final decision regarding its adoption in December 2015. The new amendment raised concern and discontent among human rights activists and NGOs throughout South Africa and abroad. In the case of its adoption,strict provisions regarding the disqualification from refugee status and limitation to the right to work and study will be enforced. Not only wouldindividuals be discouraged from applying for a refugee status in South Africa because of the bureaucracy that it would involve;but many would also be excluded from applying for a refugee status at all, as the pre-requisites to apply got more and more strict.
NEW LGBTI PROJECT ASSISTANT
RobinahKintu is a homosexual Ugandian who moved to South Africa in 2009. She has been volunteering for PASSOP since 2011 and, fromSeptember, she joined the LGBTI project team, contributing in the fight for rights of LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa. We are happy to welcome Robinah in the PASSOP team!