Random Acts
Published: 11 Oct 2016
Asylum Aid’s play Random Acts tells the story of one woman asylum seeker, and is based on the stories of many women who have been represented by Asylum Aid. Their refusal letters and appeal determinations have been woven together by Debora Singer, Asylum Aid’s Policy and Research Manager, to illustrate the difficulties that women can face when seeking protection in the UK from human rights abuses abroad. The play uses creative licence by making all the issues faced a woman seeking asylum happen to one woman who is extremely articulate and by making her receive the determination of her case at the tribunal when she would normally receive a letter. The handout related to the play is available from charter@asylumaid.org.uk and covers the issues of
- Gender persecution
- Low level political activity
- Lack of state protection
- Need for female interviewer and interpreter
- Childcare during asylum interviews
- Credibility
- Late disclosure
- Country information
- Internal relocation
- Detention
The play is being used by Rodger Haines QC and ECRE to train immigration officials in Russia, Korea, Hong Kong and New Zealand. We hope you will use it in your NGO as well.
The play is included in the UNHCR Global Learning Centre’s database for trainers.
Watch author, Debora Singer, discussing the play’s significance
Link: https://youtu.be/rFgjYWAPhbU