Break the Silence
On 28th November at the Riverside Studios in London, Juliet Stevenson hosted Break the Silence, a stunning performance of Lydia Besong's play How I Became An Asylum Seeker.
Lydia Besong sought asylum in the UK after being tortured in Cameroon for her political activities, and her play provides searing insight into the experiences of women in the asylum process.
It was performed by Lydia and fellow members of Women Asylum Seekers Together (WAST) Manchester to a sell-out audience.
After the play the performers were joined by Helen Bamber and Bridget Phillipson MP for a discussion of the issues raised in the play.
Read Deborah Singer from Asylum Aid on How I Became an Asylum Seeker in Open Democracy.
I admire the work carried out by Women for Refugee Women. By telling the true stories of women and children in the asylum process they woke a lot of people up to the scandal of child detention.
Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse
I have been delighted to support Women for Refugee Women since its launch- I've been truly inspired by the great work this organisation does, enabling women who seek asylum to speak out - whether at the grassroots or to government ministers.
Oona King
Many refugees and asylum seekers have fled their home countries because of human rights abuses. The work of agencies like Women for Refugee Women is vital for helping people rebuild their lives and have a voice.
Trevor Phillips OBE, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission
Put the word refugee in front of woman and immediately prejudice and projection arise. Meet a refugee woman, hear her struggles – and her joys – and you encounter a person, like you and me, who has been more than unlucky....
....Women for Refugee Women joins the dots, restores our humanity to ourselves and enables women to fight for theirs. Please support them.
Susie Orbach, psychotherapist and author of Bodies and Fat is a Feminist Issue
