Human rights activists have called on Stormont departments to used devolved powers to “step up and make Northern Ireland a good place for asylum seekers to be” at the launch of a new report. This outlined issues around asylum, migration and human rights with a view to “ending the destitution of asylum seekers in Northern Ireland”. At present there are about 1,000 asylum seekers in the North via one so-called dispersal area, Belfast. Sipho Sibanda, an asylum seeker from Zimbabwe, who has called Belfast home for four years, told The Irish Times the Housing Executive could “take away restrictions when it comes to homeless hostels so asylum seekers can access them”. She said: “The report evidences the UK Government’s ‘hostile environment’ policy that is purposefully driving asylum seekers to destitution and hopelessness by providing minimal financial support and prohibiting paid work.

Source: The Irish Times June 18, 2019 19:30 UTC