Law centre awarded grant for women refugee service

Rochdale Law Centre has received a three-year grant from Comic Relief to provide a specialised legal support programme for women and girls seeking asylum. 

The Female Asylum Programme is funded to run from April 2012 through March 2015, and will include a specialist immigration solicitor and caseworker to provide legal advice and advocacy specifically for women and girls in the process of claiming asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK.

A spokesperson for Rochdale Law Centre, said: “In our work with refugees in Rochdale, we have found that there is a great need for specialised assistance around cases of trafficking, female genital mutilation (FGM), rape, and other human rights abuses experienced by women refugees.

 “In the context of cuts to legal aid and other vital support services to refugees, we are pleased that we can offer this service to some of the most vulnerable people in the Rochdale area.”