Africa and Middle East Assistance

   Africa and Middle East Assistance
Address
13 Dron House, Adelina Grove, London E1 3AA UK      
Country UK
Tel  07843 427676
Fax  
Email  behbond@auc-egypt.edu   
Website  http://www.amera-uk.org/   
Contact Person  Barbara Harrell-Bond

Member of EMHRN
since

 2008
Mandate
Geographical
Coverage		  
Fields of Activities
Refugee Legal Aid, Psychosocial work 
Main Activities

AMERA-UK Objectives

  1. To provide relief for refugees by offering pro bono legal advice on issues relating to asylum determination, settlement of migrants, family reunification and other matters relating to the enjoyment of the fundamental rights

  2. To provide psychosocial services to help refugees deal emotionally and mentally with their past and present struggles and to empower them to present their testimonies at interviews conducted with state authorities or with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

  3. To advance education of the public, in particular lawyers and paralegals, in matters relating to forced migration and law affecting refugees in Africa and the Middle East
No. of Staff
No. of Members
More Info...

African and Middle East Assistance (AMERA) was founded as a UK Charity in January 2003, (Registered Charity No. 1098788), to promote the development of pro bono legal aid for refugees in countries where such services are non-existent and where legal representation might assist them in realizing their rights. The awareness of this need came out of several years of research in Africa and the Mediterranean region that exposed the appalling conditions in which most refugees live and the failure of states to protect them.
In Uganda, The Refugee Law Project, part of the Faculty of Law at Makerere University, was initiated in 1997 and formally began in 1999 to meet the legal aid need of refugees there. In Kenya, The Refugee Consortium opened in 1998. In Cairo, The Refugee Legal Aid Project began in 2000. Born out of the experience of these years of work in Uganda, Kenya and Egypt, AMERA-UK aims to support and to stimulate the development of further refugee legal aid projects throughout Africa and the Middle East.
AMERA-UK's role is to nurture and coordinate emerging projects, ensure high standards of pro bono legal representation and to raise money for the growing network of pro bono refugee legal aid offices.