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Description
Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants are often vulnerable and discriminated in Bulgaria, despite the fact that Bulgaria has ratified major international and European legal instruments for their protection. The project aims at building further on the experience and results achieved during the first stage of the project titled Efficient Legal Aid for Refugees and Migrants in Bulgaria, financed by the Active Citizens Fund under the Financial Mechanism of the EEA 2014-2021. The project aims at providing legal aid (consultations, representation in administrative and court proceedings) to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. The project includes advocacy before civil servants and judges for the pursue of an individual and non-discriminatory approach in the assessment of the situation of refugees and migrants, ensuring access to judiciary, respect of the principle for the best interests of the child, etc. Center for Legal Aid Voice in Bulgaria and Foundation for access to rights are of the few NGOs in Bulgaria providing legal aid to refugees and migrants. The second partner, Mission Wings, has experience in providing psychological consultations to refugees and migrants and other vulnerable people, which is extremely important in view of the holistic method of legal aid and the need for specific means of evidence in court proceedings.
Summary of project results
The aim of the project is, through the provision of legal aid to direct beneficiaries - asylum seekers, refugees and migrants, and through advocacy with target groups - staff working with them and judges, to bring about both individual human rights outcomes and more significant change in institutional and judicial practices and legislation. A holistic and comprehensive approach to legal protection is envisaged, which involves partnership both in terms of legal work and expertise, in which the beneficiary and the first FAR partner already have established experience, and access to expert psychological assessment of vulnerable cases, in which the second partner have established experience.
- Holistic legal aid supported by psychological expert statements - legal consultations in the offices of the three organizations in Sofia and in the country; psychological and social support with experts from Mission Wings; accompaniment of interviews in SAR centers, consultations in immigration detention centers and assistance in migration procedures in general, administrative and procedural representation before national and European courts and institutions.
- Advocacy in traditional and non-traditional forms with a rich legacy of expertise in the form of 19 opinion recommendations on topics such as the substantive and procedural aspects of the international protection procedure; the specificities of first-time activated temporary protection; access to territory; regularization; children''s rights; immigration detention; expulsion; climate change and refugees.
- Communication activities to promote the results of the project and the search for creative channels for the discussion of refugee and migrant issues - stories of the main countries of origin and interviews of people from these countries; follow-up with additional communication activitiy through a creative VR event, devoted on safe access to protection.
Provision of legal aid to direct beneficiaries - asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.