Location: Hybrid: In-person at International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG) and Zoom

Date: Monday 10 June 2024

Time: 10:00 – 12:00 CEST (Geneva)

Join PILnet, the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), St Andrews Refugee Service (StARs), and members of the legal community as we share knowledge and good practices on the theme of “Gender, Justice and the Law; Legal and Practical Challenges for Refugees.”

In advance of the UNHCR Global Consultations with NGOs happening in Geneva, 11-13 June 2024, and the 2024 Global Strategic Litigation Roundtable on the 10 June, members of the GRF Legal Community Pledge Core Group and the Global Strategic Litigation Council will hold an informal side-event.

Around the world gender inequality and sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) in various forms expose women, girls and LGBTQI+ people to a heightened risk or harm, ultimately forcing many to flee and seek protection. Upon displacement, these individuals often face further heightened risks of harm, including exploitation and trafficking, and can experience significant challenges in accessing asylum and protection systems. 

This hybrid event aims to bring together members of the legal and displaced communities to share knowledge and good practices in addressing these challenges and advancing access to rights, justice and solutions for women, girls and LGBTQI+ refugees.

Register to join virtually    Register to join in person

For those joining us in person, refreshments will be provided before and after the event to encourage further networking and knowledge-sharing.

June 10, 2024
9:30 am

Welcome Coffee

10:00 am

Legal Systems and Frameworks - Recognition and protection of women, girl LGBTQI+ refugees

This session will explore the relationship between refugee law and other protection systems and the protection of women, girls and LGBTQI+ refugees. Speakers will share their views on current practices around the recognition of women, girls and LGBTQI+ as refugees, including women at risk of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and other gender-based claims. They will discuss the challenges of women, girls and LGBTQI+ refugees in accessing asylum and protection systems, and  how individual and group-based refugee status determination procedures should take into  account specific gender-based issued including in situations where SGBV is used as a weapon of war, or where women, girls and LGBTQI+ refugees are faced with discrimination in accessing protection.

Speakers include:

  • Mary Tal, Executive Director, Whole World Women Association
  • Swathi Sekhar, Director, Protection Initiatives, Rainbow Railroad
  • Asha El-Karib, Senior Strategic Advisor of the Sudanese Organization for Research and Development (SORD)
  • Ibrahim Ibou Senna, Director of the Refugee Legal Aid Program, St. Andrew’s Refugee Services – Moderator
11:00 am

Legal Needs and Services - Access to legal services for women, girl LGBTQI+ refugees

This session will consider the legal challenges, including barriers to legal services, experienced by women, girls and LGBTQI+ refugees in accessing justice and protection and in securing long-term protection and solutions. Speakers will provide insights into their work to address these challenges and highlight innovative and promising practices and models to increase access to legal services and advance rights, justice and solutions for women, girl and LGBTQI+ refugees.

Speakers include:

  • Roshni Shanker, Executive Director, Migration & Asylum Project
  • Devota Nuwe, Head of Programs, Refugee Law Project
  • Jyothi Kanics, Advocacy Director for Europe, Kids in Need of Defence
  • Shahanur Islam, Founder and President, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France
  • Cecilia Vejby Andersen, Head of Unit, Danish Refugee Council – Moderator
12:00 pm

Light Lunch