Asylum Aid launched a new campaign, Missed Out, under its Women's Asylum Charter on August 31st.
The new campaign seeks to ensure that asylum-seeking women are treated fairly in the UK and are protected from violence. Asylum Aid say they are not asking for special treatment, only that women seeking asylum have the same rights as everyone else.
According to Asylum Aid, one third of people who claim asylum in the UK in their own right are women, yet the government's strategy for helping victims of violence says nearly nothing about them.
Almost three-quarters of women are refused asylum by the UK Border Agency, and research has shown that the majority of women are refused because they are simply disbelieved. Many cases are overturned on appeal by independent judges.
Asylum Aid says that the failure of the Border Agency to reach fair, sustainable decisions has a disproportionate affect on women, many of whom are left isolated and vulnerable by an unfair asylum system. Research by Asylum Aid and others has shown the serious impact this has on the mental and physical health of women seeking asylum.
You can read more about the new Missed Out campaign at http://www.asylumaid.org.uk/charter