Safety4Sisters North West is a small group of Manchester based feminist/anti-racist activists who campaign and support vulnerable migrant women with ‘no recourse to public funds’ (no rights to access benefits) who face extra-ordinary barriers and discriminatory practices when seeking their basic human rights to safety and protection from gender based violence. Migrant women in this situation cannot easily access critical refuge or other emergency accommodation and have no access to welfare benefits.
We are fundraising for our Migrant Women’s Emergency Safety Fund
We will use any money donated to the fund to DIRECTLY SUPPORT WOMEN TO SAFETY by covering the costs of such things as:
• A few nights Bed & Breakfast in emergencies (when they need to flee an abuser/s) whilst we advocate on their behalf to get them into alternative Local Authority or voluntary services specialist accommodation and often whilst we support them to access legally aided immigration advice.
• Toiletries, sanitary goods, nappies,
• Basic foods
• Bus fares & taxi fares
• Mobile phone credit
Established in 2009 as a campaigning organisation, Safety4Sisters has since run public events to raise awareness and educate both voluntary and statutory services across Greater Manchester. In 2015, Safety4Sisters set up the “Migrant Women’s Rights to Safety” pilot project directly delivering practical, emotional support and advocacy to women.
The subsequent project report and film was launched in 2016. Safety4Sisters continues to run the women’s group and campaign for migrant women’s Human Rights to safety.
Above all we continue to challenge and fight for the right to safety for migrant women including the need for access to emergency safe accommodation away from gender based violence regardless of immigration status.
Safety4Sisters were awarded the Emma Humphrey’s Memorial Prize (2016) in recognition of our campaigning work addressing violence against Black and minority ethnic women.