We are delighted to announce the appointment of our new chair, Eleanor Harrison OBE, at the Asylum Reform Initiative, the alliance of leading refugee charities that established and continues to support the Together With Refugees campaign coalition.
We spoke with Eleanor to find out more about why she wanted to take on this role and what she hopes to bring.
What motivated you to take on this role?
“I started my career in the refugee sector, first as a volunteer in Australia and then at the Refugee Council in the West Midlands. I’ve seen how damaging austerity and hostile policies are to asylum seekers and refugees, and to the sector. But I also know the power of collective action. When leading organisations come together with grassroots groups real change is possible. For the first time in 20 years, we have a coalition of over 600 organisations working towards a shared goal and I wanted to be part of this. Together with Refugees has a powerful track record of collective action and I’m committed to contribute to that fight for a more just asylum system.”
What are you proud of in your career?
“Seeing people unlock their potential and thrive is deeply rewarding. Whether through providing safety and support at Refugee Council or working with young people, I’ve always believed in doing things with people, not to them. Some are fortunate enough to grow up knowing they are powerful, while others need the right support and opportunities. Working with people to unlock their own talent and go on to achieve incredible things is what makes me most proud.”
What do you think the big challenges and opportunities are for the refugee sector?
“The refugee sector faces challenges on multiple levels. Fragmentation, financial scarcity, the rise of the far-right, and polarisation both in the UK and globally make it harder to build bridges and win change. But this also presents a historic opportunity. We have the potential to create the UK’s most inclusive, diverse and geographically representative social movement. A movement on the front foot, promoting its own vision rather than reacting to negative policies and media . By proactively pushing our own solutions for the asylum system, strengthening coalitions and building the power in our communities, we can create long lasting change.”
What are you hoping to bring to this role?
“I have three key priorities as I start this work. One is working with others in the sector and across our coalition to champion collective action in response to the border security bill currently making its way through parliament. But we mustn’t let this distract us from the critical job of pushing our positive vision for the UK’s asylum system. The sector campaigned tirelessly and won the abolition of the scheme to send refugees to Rwanda and the indefinite detention of child refugees. We know that by standing together we can achieve change. I hope to help bring our movement together to win the fight for a more ambitious reset of the system with a fair new plan for refugees that upholds the UK’s commitment under international law to the right to claim asylum, provides a proper strategy for welcoming refugees, and forges stronger global cooperation to tackle the root causes that force people to flee their homes, including through safe routes to refugee protection.
“Finally, and by no means less important, is my deep commitment to ensuring our members’ voices, particularly those with direct experience as refugees, are at the heart of this action, our decisions and leadership.”
Find out more about our new Steering Group and how we’re run.