Women for Refugee Women frowns at Starmer’s openness to processing asylum seekers offshore

Women for Refugee Women, an organisation that supports women seeking safety in the UK to rebuild their lives on their own terms has frowned at Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s openness to processing asylum seekers offshore.

In a statement titled ‘Keir Starmer ‘open to processing asylum seekers offshore’
Women for Refugee Women said “People seeking safety in the UK should have their claims processed and heard in the UK.”

It said “Plans to forcibly send individuals to other countries to have their claims processed are extremely concerning.”

According to Government officials, Women for Refugee Women said offshoring plans must fulfil three criteria:

❌Deter new people seeking asylum from coming to the UK;
❌Be cost-effective;
❌and comply with international law.

Offshoring would:

❌Place people at further risk of harm, abuse or exploitation;
❌Be extremely expensive;
❌NOT act as a ‘deterrent’.

“We are particularly concerned that offshoring plans would have a disproportionate harmful impact for women seeking safety in the UK.”

It noted that offshoring in Australia has seen women subjected to endemic levels of sexual harassment and violence.

“Outsourcing our international responsibilities is shameful and tarnishes our reputation.

We urge the Government to:
❌Scrap offshoring plans;
👉Move away from the divisive policies of its predecessor;
🟢And focus on building a compassionate asylum system here in the UK.”