During Human Rights Week in June, the Humanitarian Crisis Hub held an information and discussion session on Refugee Advocacy as part of its monthly workshop program.
The session explored how to approach and influence local and federal government on issues related to refugees and asylum seekers. It also gave handy tips for meetings, letter writing, phone calls, and media relations.
Guest speaker Pamela Curr, who is the Campaign Coordinator of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, shared her insights into the Australian political system and gave practical advice on how to influence it. Pamela’s 15 years experience in fighting for the human rights of outworkers, refugees, and asylum seekers shone throughout the session. She used fascinating anecdotes about her personal experiences and the lessons she had learnt from them. Participants joined in the discussions. There was great input from representatives of Care4Congo, Ogaden Youth Forum, the Ecumenical Multicultural Centre, and students from the University of Melbourne and Monash University.
