Refugee Week NI.
Dream it.
Before working at BIHR, I worked and volunteered in asylum support casework, providing advice and advocacy to people navigating the UK asylum system. Refugee Week, which always take place on the run up to World Refugee Day on the 20th June, was always a highlight. Refugee Week is a week celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. Over the years I have been to gigs, attended talks, took part in cookery classes, and watched film screenings. But this year, I had one of my favourite Refugee Week experiences so far.
Our Refugee Week Session with Bomoko NI.
As part of our 10 Free Sessions programme, last Friday BIHR co-delivered (with BIHR Director, Sanchita) a session on human rights for the members at BOMOKO NI, the Northern Ireland Refugees and Asylum Seekers Women Association. BOMOKO NI is the only refugees and asylum seekers women (RASW) led organisation in Northern Ireland (NI). It was set up in April 2019, to represent the voice, and improve the lives of RASW by providing face-to-face advice and advocacy support services to relieve poverty and empower members, providing social integration and cultural activities, and educational opportunities for RASW. Bomoko NI connects and empowers RASW in NI to claim their rights and improve our lives through self-determination and public participation.
During the session today we talked about human rights, how they are protected by the Human Rights Act and how all of us can use our human rights to create positive change in our lives. Anyone in the UK can use human rights, human rights belong to all of us, it doesn’t matter where you were born. During the session, we shared the story of Lola.
https://www.bihr.org.uk/blog/refugee-week-know-my-rights-with-bihr
Our Journey.
Our Journey
Speakers:
MIMI UNAMOYO - BOMOKO NI Founder and Human Rights Activist
Dr. NADHIRA KARIM -Ph.D. Scholl of Nursing & Midwifery QUB
DATE: THURSDAY 17 JUNE 2021
TIME: 17.00- 19.00
ONLINE ZOOM EVENT
JOIN US TO CELEBRATE REFUGEE WEEK 2021
AND LEARN ABOUT THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY OF TWO REFUGEE WOMEN
REGISTER AT: INFO@BOMOKONI.ORG.UK
Refugees Saving Lives.
Some of these women who did the walk are here in Ireland fighting hard to have a new life. They founded a community group called Bomoko.
The group was founded to represent the voice of refugee women. In Lingala, a Congolese language, bomoko means unity or togetherness. So as a voice for migrant women, refugees and asylum seekers who are living in Northern Ireland, the group works closely with many other stakeholders and local groups in Northern Ireland. The charity group has 76 registered members and is growing.