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1st Mar 2007 | Green MEP Gives Refugees A New Future With ERAD
European Refugee Advocacy Organisation (ERAD) - a dynamic new organisation representing the interests of refugees across Europe.

Refugees and asylum seekers across Europe were given an extra boost of hope last night when Green Euro MP, Jean Lambert, launched a dynamic new organisation representing the interests of refugees across Europe, the European Refugee Advocacy Organisation (ERAD).

Made up of a network of asylum seekers and refugee led associations and initiatives, ERAD's mission is to encourage and empower refugees and asylum seekers to engage more directly in the defense of their own rights and interests.

Jean Lambert, who contiunues to campaign for the rights of asylum seekers and has been awarded for her work on Justice and Human Rights, has endorsed the organisation.

Speaking after the launch London's Green MEP said; "ERAD will be a focal point and a forum for discussion, information exchange and advocacy directly composed of asylum seekers and refugees based in Europe.

Asylum seekers and refugees can be particularly vulnerable when they have been forced to leave their homeland as well as their family and friends. Sadly their opinions and wishes on the details of their new future are regularly ignored.

ERAD has an important and distinctive role to play in ensuring that the voices of asylum seekers and refugees are directly represented and heard in the most effective way at European level. There is, in my view, a real need for those perspectives to be represented and heard and ERAD will meet this important need.

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Some pictures from Brussels (Launch of ERAD and workshops)









All pictures: © afrikanet.info

Report on the launch of ERAD in Brussels (in german)
http://www.afrikanet.info/index.php? option=com_content&task=view&id=569&Itemid=2

© ERAD - European Refugee Advocacy Organisation 2007 office@erad-network.org