Migrants’ Rights Network stands in solidarity with all migrants in their fight for rights and justice - we're driven by our values to make our vision for a just society a reality.
Launched in 2006 as a campaigning organisation, our work brings together and deepens connections, understanding and solidarity within the migrants’ rights sector and across sectors to share learning, facilitate access and bring about visionary and practical solutions. As an organisation that is challenging in our approach, we tackle strategically important but unpopular issues that particularly impact on groups most harmed by anti-immigrant policies and narratives.
Vision
MRN strives to create a situation in the UK in which:
Values
We have a dynamic approach that uses a plurality of methods for change. These methods include; strengthening and supporting migrant leadership and the capacity of the organisations that work with migrants, policy and advocacy, collective action and legal approaches.
We work as a collective of like-minded people and organisations working to amplify and centre the voices, issues and demands of migrants and grassroots groups. The purpose of the ‘network’ is to redistribute access (including, to knowledge, learning, information and space) to those most impacted by immigration policy and practice.
Our work is based on the following core activities:
Galvanising and growing an agile network of individuals and organisations across the country with a commitment to rights and justice for migrants to collectivise campaigns and action.
Bringing together individuals and organisations within and beyond the migrants’ rights sector to share learning, access and resources. We do this in a number of ways, including; face-to-face meetings, using online facilities to widen access, brokering introductions, sharing access to influential platforms that we have
Working with affected individuals and communities to develop Know Your Rights guides and other practical self-help solutions
Producing a monthly London newsletter highlighting the work and support needs of migrant-led and other migrants’ rights organisations
Coordinating quarterly meetings and providing ongoing support for collaboration to a London-wide network of migrants’ rights and other intersectional organisations.
Facilitating Know Your Rights workshops to help increase migrants’ understanding of their rights and how to access them
Linking grassroots, migrant-led organisations with access and resources, for example, access to power-holders and decision-makers, media and avenues of support.
Coordinating a pro bono network of lawyers and grassroots activists to work together on challenging aspects of the hostile environment for migrants.
Strengthening and growing migrant leadership through the development of bespoke migrant leadership programmes across the country.
Using a radical and visionary approach to policy and campaigning issues brought to us by migrants and grassroots groups.
Using legal approaches such as supporting, training and resourcing frontline workers to gather data for a legal challenge, facilitating legal opinions, and making strategic legal interventions where appropriate.
Participating in forums and advisory panels where we can learn and offer our insight and expertise (CORE, PICUM, ACEVO, etc).