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Re: Refugee Work Rights Coalition, Concept Note

REFUGEE WORK RIGHTS COALITION:

TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP

  1. COALITION MISSION

The mission of the Refugee Work Rights Coalition (“the Coalition”) is to ensure that refugees’ right to access safe and lawful employment in the formal sector is respected, protected and fulfilled.

  1. LONG-TERM COALITION OBJECTIVES

To achieve its mission, the Coalition shall endeavor to:

  • Change national refugee law and policy to respect the right to work for refugees;
  • Increase the commitment of UNHCR, ILO and other development actors to promote and facilitate the right to work at the international, regional and domestic level;
  • Engage non-traditional actors from the private sector in the advocacy and promotion of the right to work and livelihood initiatives; and
  • Raise awareness and engage more directly with refugee organizations at all levels.

III. COALITION STRUCTURE & ADMINISTRATION

Overview

The Coalition shall be composed of individual members and organizational members who are committed to achieving the Coalition’s mission. The Coalition shall have a Leadership Committee that will guide the direction of the Coalition and members’ involvement in the activities of the Coalition.

Types of Membership

Two types of Coalition memberships shall be available:

1.)Individual Membership; and

2.)Organizational Membership.

Membership Application Process

The Coalition shall adopt an inclusive approach in its membership. This means that any interested party may become a Coalition member so long as they agree to uphold the Coalition’s Mission and these Terms of Membership.

All prospective members shall be asked to complete a Membership Bio and Interest Form (Annex 1) and to confirm in writing their willingness to adhere to these Terms of Membership. Following receipt of this form and written consent, membership will become effective.

Membership Dues

No membership dues are presently required for membership to the Coalition.

Leadership Committee

The Coalition shall have a Leadership Committee that will guide the direction of the Coalition and members’ involvement in the activities of the Coalition. Specifically, the role of the Leadership Committee is to:

  • Expand membership and mobilize support for the Coalition;
  • Build capacity for Coalition action;
  • Plan Coalition activities; and
  • Take an active role in the implementation of Coalition activities.

The Leadership Committee shall be composed of the Coalition’s founding member, Asylum Access, and at least one other Coalition member. The Committee shall collaborate in good faith to execute the above-mentioned duties, engaging in open communication and equitable decision-making.

At any time, a Coalition member may apply to join the Leadership Committee by expressing its interest in writing to do so. The Committee must give proper consideration to any such request, and may choose to appoint the interested member to the Leadership Committee if agreed by majority consent.

Termination of Membership / Leadership Committee Membership

Any Coalition member or Leadership Committee member may terminate membership by notifying all members of Leadership Committee in writing of its intention to terminate engagement. The Leadership Committee and other Coalition members shall respect this request for termination.

  1. COALITION MEETINGS

The Coalition shall meet at least quarterly by conference call. The Leadership Committee shall schedule the time and date of these Coalition meetings, choosing alternating meeting times so as to accommodate the various time zones of members.

  1. MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Media Sites

The Coalition shall utilize the following media sites for its publicity and communications:

  • Refugee Work Rights Coalition Page( and
  • Refugee Work Rights Coalition Facebook Page (

Submissions for Publication

All Coalition members are encouraged to submit materials (posts, articles or otherwise) for publication on the above-mentioned sites. The submission guidelines for posts to the Refugee Work Rights Coalition Page may be found here (

Asylum Access, as the founding Coalition member and a member of the Leadership Committee, reserves the right of publication for all submissions and may edit submissions for language and clarity. All publications shall give express acknowledgement of the author’s contribution.

Use of Logos

All organizational Coalition members are encouraged to consent to the use of their logo on the Refugee Work Rights Coalition Page as well as other Coalition publications as an acknowledgement of their contribution and commitment to the Coalition. Organization logos will not be displayed, however, on the Refugee Work Rights Coalition Page or any other Coalition publication,without the full consent of thatorganizational member.

Any Coalition member who wishes to use the Refugee Work Rights Coalition logomust firstly obtain the consent of the Leadership Committee.