NT#71 by New Times

A magazine produced by asylum seekers living in the Danish Red Cross Asylum Centres > may 2007>issue # 71

WOMEN INto WORK

Photo: Vahid

New Times for New Times In February, Osama Al-Habahbeh left New Times for a new job. He had been managing editor for several years and will be very much missed. We have also recently said goodbye to Samir, who had played a central role in writing and translating articles for many years. And we lost Mohammad, our creative photographer. As if loosing these key people were not enough, we have also had worries about financial insecurity. These are our reasons – or excuses – for the delay in producing this issue. Nevertheless, we hope you will find this edition useful and interesting. The theme of this issue, ”Women into Work”, found its inspiration in the course, ”Kvinder i Arbejde” that the asylum department ran in the Culture House during 2006. The course was for immigrants, who have residence and work permits, not for asylum seekers. The aim

was to promote integration through building bridges between asylum seekers and immigrants and for the Danish Red Cross asylum department to use the skills and knowledge, particularly the intercultural skills and knowledge, it has built up over the years for the benefit of the wider community. New Times for New Times. The next issue of the magazine will be a joint issue with Ungdoms Røde Kors (Youth Red Cross) in conjunction with the celebrations for the Diversity Week project in September. But don’t worry! New Times will very soon have a website where you will be able to read new articles, join in a discussion forum and post letters. There will also be regular up-dates of information about the laws and regulations on asylum. In fact, a webpage should give a better service locally and make it easier

for the voice of asylum seekers to be heard all over the world. It’s a very exciting development and all thanks to Reza who is making it for us as part of this studies and technical school. It should be up and running within the next month, so don’t forget to check it out: www. newtimes.dk In the meantime, we welcome your comments and feedback on New Times as well as your ideas for the webpage. At the moment we are six asylum seekers and two immigrants (one British, one Canadian) working on New Times. If you are an asylum seeker or a Dane or a foreigner living in Denmark who would like to volunteer, then please contact us. We need people with all sorts of skills – so don’t hesitate – come talk with us.

The New Times Staff

I am a Success Joy Catherine Larsen has lived in Denmark for 15 years. Born in Zimbabwe she studied marketing in Johannesburg, South Africa. Afterwards she worked in the United States where she met her future husband, a Dane, Bo Larsen. Photo: Otman

Portrait by Sergei After marrying Bo Larsen, Joy moved to Denmark. She could not find a job in her profession and was forced to start with a cleaning job. Her next step was to work as a kitchen assistant. Her boss became her good friend. “She taught me a lot and now I am a canteen manager. For the last 7 years I have been manager of a kitchen in Brønshøj,” said Joy. She considers herself a successful woman; she achieved everything herself due to her strong character and enthusiasm. Her colleagues hold her in high esteem. Among them are a lot of people who have an ethnic background other than Danish. Pork & Alcohol Joy shows a lot of tact in respecting the different beliefs and customs of her staff. She never entrusts Muslims to work with prohibited materials

newtimes · May 2007

like alcohol and pork. She assigns this work to people who do not have any restrictions about working with these substances. This nice and graceful woman has a really strong personality: “I have an ambition to become a future member of a Danish Parliament,” said Joy with a smile. “We foreigners in Denmark must speak out and be heard. I am ready to go to there just for the sake of it, without any salary. The Danes do not accept new things easily and they treat us with mistrust. My aim is to do something to eliminate this prejudice.” Family Joy is a mother of two 15 year old twins. She does not want them to ever face difficulties she had. “I am just a bridge. If one day I get the possibility to decide something in this society, then I would like to prepare for happier days, if not for my children, then perhaps for my grandchildren.”

Two Women by Jehan As I entered the hairdressing salon I saw two women. One of them is happy and active with a big smile on her face smile, when you see her you feel she is full of life and she gives you hope and pleasure. Her name is Samira. The other woman (her cousin) is Khawla. She looks very tired, the signs of depression are obvious and she sighs, “ah….” all the time.

able being dependent. That is why I decided to be my own mistress and work and be independent.

J: Who are your customers? S: I have more women than men and more foreigners than Danes.

J: How you take the first step? S: I am from Syria and I have a diploma in hairdressing from my country, so I decided to open a hairdressing salon. I shared the idea with my husband; he was happy and welcomed my plans. We discussed the problems of finding a place near

J: Do you have any difficulties because you wear a scarf? And what about with men? Y- There are a few men among my customers. But those men who come to my shop have got used to my scarf. In the start they said it

ity (kommune). My husband has encouraged me right from the start and he takes more of the responsibility than I do with taking the children to school. He also does the shopping. J: Tell me about a typical day. S: After making breakfast for my children and getting them ready for school it’s nearly 9 o’clock before I get to my shop. When I return in the

country which gave her a place to live. My job as a hairdresser can never be in conflict with Islam because we say that God is beautiful and that he likes beauty. If a human being – either a woman or a man - wants to be beautiful it is not forbidden. It gives me pleasure to make people look beautiful, and therefore happy. Now I left Samira and our talk about beauty and turned to Khawla, who looks so pessimistic with her tired face. J: Khawla, when you come to Denmark? K: 8 years ago. J: Why do you look sad and depressed? K: I have no job and I am at the mercy of the kommune; they play with me like I am a football. Wherever I go to try to get work I am rejected. Maybe it’s because I wear the scarf. I can’t do what Samira did. I tried. I went to many Danish hairdressing salons to try to learn the profession, but they would not accept me even as a cleaner because I wear the scarf. I can’t go to hairdressing school because the courses are very expensive and I do not have enough money. I have to forget that idea; my chances in life are not like Samira’s. J: Then you think your scarf is the reason that you are not a successful woman?

Photo: Otman

J: Samira, how long you have been living in Denmark? S: For 10 years. I came on the basis of family reunification to be with my husband.

where we live, the expenses and the fact that our children were small. We soon found a suitable place and borrowed money from friends to pay the rent of nearly 10,000 Kr. per month. We repay them monthly and everything is going OK.

J: Why did you decide to work? S: From my first day in Denmark I felt bored and empty and being in exile doubled this feeling, which is why I decided to change my way of my life. I thought: may be I can integrate and make a new life for myself? Before I worked I lived on social security payments (the money from Kommune) and I felt uncomfort-

J: Were there any difficulties in the beginning? S: Of course, that’s normal! Customers needed time to get to know me, especially as I’m foreigner. The language was another big difficulty at first; but all these difficulties have disappeared now. I have regular customers and my Danish is better.

was strange having their hair cut by a woman with a scarf, but after a short time I think it become normal for them. The scarf could be a barrier or wall between me and my customers, but it disappears when they see my smiling face. They say that they respect me because I do my job well and that the barriers between us have disappeared.

evening I’m tired and have to sleep for an hour. Then my husband and I prepare the dinner together and then we sit and eat together as a whole family.

J: How you feel after all these years? And what about your husband?

S: If a Muslim woman really believes in her religion then she must prove to the Danish people that her religion is something very personal, and that they must respect that. Her religion should not affect her as a citizen in Danish society if she does her duties towards this

S: I feel I am my own mistress and that is important for me. I feel I have dignity and I do not feel humiliated by the local author-

J: Do you think that it is important for Muslim women in Denmark to work? Is there a conflict between women working and Islam?

K: Yes. It’s different for Samira. When people go to her salon they see that she is skilful at her job and they forget her scarf, but I have nothing to offer and my scarf will be always like a wall between me and them. S: Everyone - woman or man, Muslim or non-Muslim - especially if they are an immigrant - must work twice as hard as any Dane in order to be accepted and trusted. Even if Khawla has failed so far, she must try again and again and not say that the scarf is the reason for not working. On the contrary, she should say that the scarf is her motivation and the reason to work.

newtimes · May 2007

For several years now there have been reports in the media about the mental state of asylum seekers who spend years on end in the asylum camps, and recently there has been special focus on the asylum children. But who has asked about those who are responsible for the children - the parents and especially the mothers?

“I don’t want to be a burden on Danish society.” By Nedal In order to improve the psychological condition of the children, we must pay attention to the mothers - and no attention has been paid to this important point. I don’t know of any reports about the effect of work and culture on the mental state of women. That is why I have chosen to interview an asylum woman, who I think is a good example of the magical effect that work can have on women. N: Raja Ghani Kadim tell me about yourself. R: I am an Iraqi woman who came to Denmark seeking asylum six years ago. I have 3 children called Sarmad, Shayma Majid. Sarmad and Shayma are married to Danish citizens and they have residence permits. Only Majid, who is eleven years old lives with me in Avnstrup. N: Raja why did you decide to work?

upon my health was like magic, like electricity! It happened very quickly and it worked better than all the medicines and the help from the psychologists. It was like a miracle for me. N: Why do you want to work in spite of your difficult situation? R: Firstly, to save myself from medicines and secondly I do not like to be a burden on Danish society by doing nothing but eating, drinking and sleeping. I don’t like being a number that the Immigration Service gave me. I don’t like doing nothing but waiting to see what will happen with my asylum case. I am a human being and not only the number 135-246-…. N: What do you mean when you say that you do not want to be a burden on Danish society? R: In my childhood I learnt that nobody – not even my father or brother - spent money on me without me having to give something back, and now I am in Denmark I

have to give something back. N: What are the benefits of working? R: The most important thing is that I forget my sufferings and feel that I have spent my time well. Work for me brings happiness and pleasure through getting in touch and mixing with many people of many different nationalities, especially Danes. Working with Danes is the first step to being integrated with them and integration is very important point in the asylum process. Also I am happier and more active at home. For example, before I worked I was always in a bad temper and nervous and I quarreled with my son, but since starting to work I have become more positive. At night I return home tired, but at the same time I am happy because I have finished another day doing a good job that makes me feel valued. N: How long you have you been working with the Danish Red Cross?

R: I’ve been working voluntarily since 2001 and without a break. N: What do you do? R: I am responsible for the sewing room in Avnstrup. I’m there all day on Thursdays, in the evenings and at weekends. I have many students and I teach them the basic things about sewing. I also take orders from different schools and camps in Denmark. For example, I had to sew 200 curtains within the space of a few days. I sewed 20 curtains each day working late into the night. Another time I had to make eight black, 5 meter-long curtains within two days for a school theatre. I was invited to the play and was the only asylum seeker there. Afterwards the head of the school introduced me to everybody and they praised and thanked me. I felt a wonderful happiness as if I was flying because I had been a part of the successful theatre production which had brought so much pleasure to others. I also work in the cafeteria at the Red Cross Culture House four

days a week. Once they were without a chief cook for a month and I took his place. I was very happy and proud to be entrusted with this responsibility. N: How do you get on with your Danish colleagues? R: I respect them and they respect me. I like them and they like me. N: In Denmark it is a cultural norm for women to work. Has this had an effect on your view on work and life? Y- Yes of course. I am inspired when I see a Danish woman riding her bicycle with her child in front of her, even in the cold and snowy weather. She puts her child in kindergarten before going to her job. She knows that if she stays at home the kommune will give her social support, but she does not want to be burden on society. And I want to be like her - an active person with self respect.

R: I came to Denmark in February 2001. I was living in an asylum camp in Jylland. My mental condition was critical and the doctor at the clinic decided to send me to a psychologist. After three appointments I did not feel any progress in my health, indeed day by day I felt I was going from bad to worse. The officials tried to help me in another way: they asked me if I would like to go to the cinema, shopping or on a trip to the sea. I said, no thank you. I want only one thing from you and that is to find me a job so I can use my time and forget my worries. Work is life. N: Did you take medicine? R: Yes, too much and without any benefit; my condition didn’t change. So I became more insistent about wanting a job and they found me a job in the camp cafeteria. I felt the difference from day one and threw all the medicines away, except those pills to help me sleep. The effect of work Photo: Otman

newtimes · May 2007

Women in the Danish labour market is an issue that has been under intense debate both in the Danish media and among politicians and civil servants in various municipalities. This is especially true when talking about immigrant women and their participation, or lack of, in the Danish labour market.

A Day in the Life

By Jawad When people talk about women taking part in building a society, it is often forgotten that many women begin their work at home, through nurturing and fostering the next generation who will continue to contribute to, and develop culture and society. The Danish media often focuses on the attempts immigrant women make in trying to access to the labour market, and sometimes there is an absence of immigrant women compared to Danish women in labour market. Because of this, “culture” is often referred to as barrier for immigrant women for being active participants in the Danish workforce. To look at this issue further, and compare the working lives of women in this country, New Times met with two working women: one is a Dane and the other is a Palestinian living and working in Denmark. Here is a snapshot of what a typical day looks like for them; a day in the life of two working women from two very different backgrounds.

Hala Ibrahim is a 29 year old Palestinian

Pernille is a 30 year old Danish woman who

woman and lives with her husband and their

works at Bombardier and lives in Rand-

two children aged seven and two years old.

ers with her husband, Martin, and their two

Hala works at the Administration of Food in

daughters Mathilde, 3 years old, and Filippa,

Ringsted

1 year old.

6.15

I get up and make a coffee and get dressed for work. Then I drink my coffee and smoke a cigarette.

6.50

I wake up my daughter and help her wash herself and brush her teeth. I put her clothes on her bed and start making her breakfast. She eats her breakfast in her room because she likes watching TV in the morning. I then wake up my son, 2 years old, and he eats breakfast at the day care, so I help him with his clothes and he drinks a glass of milk and takes a vitamin pill.

7.20

I drive my son to the day care and then my daughter to school.

7.45

I arrive at work.

12.00

I eat lunch with my colleagues.

15. 00

I do some shopping if needed and then I pick up my children and we go home and spend the afternoon with my husband. We enjoy a cup of coffee while our children play and I usually start cooking while my husband helps with homework or plays with them.

18.00

We have dinner and I appreciate the time we spend together over dinner. After that we enjoy the time until first our son is put to bed.

20:00

My daughter is put to bed and now I can check e-mails, talk on the phone and clean up.

22:00

I am very tired and I go to bed.

6.00

Martin gets up first and usually I wake up when the girls are awake unless they wake up earlier, at 5.00. I make their lunch box and help them get dressed.

6.35

17.15

We enjoy our dinner and sometimes Martin and I have the chance to have small-talk while the girls are eating.

17.30

Off to kindergarten and Filippa’s day care. Here the girls enjoy their breakfast.

We record ‘Børnetime’ on the video while we eat our dinner and then I prepare the girls’ bath while Martin does the dishes.

7.00

18.00

I drive to Bombardier and eat my breakfast and start working.

12.00

I eat my lunch in the cantina together with my colleagues and I take pleasure in talking to them.

15.15

Depending the workload, either Martin or I pick up the girls. We pick up Mathilde at 15.30 and Filippa at 16.00.

16.00

We spend time playing with the girls and eating fruit or crackers.

We all relax and spend time together while we watch ‘Børnetime’ and Mathilde and I drink tea and Filippa drinks milk. After that we put Filippa to bed and after reading a story, Mathilde is ready for bed as well.

19.30

Martin and I can now relax and this is the time where one of us can go for a run or a swim, if we have the energy. We also do the laundry, clean up after the girls and maybe watch some TV.

22.30

Time for bed.

16.30

Martin comes home and it is time to make dinner. One of us makes dinner while the other plays with Mathilde and Filippa.

newtimes · May 2007

Women into Work The Danish Red Cross course, ”Kvinder i

Amina in the sewing workshop

arbejde” (Women into Work) has proven successful in integrating refugee women into the Danish workforce, helping them become better integrated into Danish society.

By Tina & JoAnna In 2005 the Red Cross Asylum department and Care4You Association sought funds for the project, Kvinder i Arbejde from the Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs. Additional funds were obtained from Copenhagen Kommune and the course ran throughout 2006. The target group was immigrant women, who lived in the greater Copenhagen area and who had little, or no relation, to the labour market. Respect for the Individual The aim of the Women into Work programme was to motivate immigrant women to move on in their lives by getting out of their homes and into Danish workplaces. Twenty women enrolled in the course and, though they were from different parts of the world, their histories were similar. All were on social security, they had lived in Denmark for many years and most had little to no work experience. Only a handful had more than a basic education. Their level of Danish varied greatly; some could speak and inter-

Dorte, Waafa and Mansoureh in the classroom

newtimes · May 2007

act well, while others had problems with written Danish. Almost all of the women had been through countless integration courses and work placements and yet, had never been able to break into the labour market. The Women into Work programme changed all of that. Knowledge from want2work “The project was only for immigrant women and not asylum women because that was our target group when applying for money from the Ministry”, explained the project coordinator at the Culture House, Yassar Khurshid. “The Red Cross Asylum Department and the employees at the Culture House have a lot of experience with want2work projects, for example in the use of tools such as CV- and PC- workshops and we wanted to contribute with our experiences to other integration projects, such as ‘Women into Work.” Independency The women who enrolled in the programme took classes in core topics which included: Danish language for the job-market, computer skills

about tasks, working hours and codes of conduct. The job placements always began with two days at the workplace and three days at the Culture House. This gave both the participants and teachers an opportunity to evaluate the experiences and to clear up any misunderstandings and, if necessary, change the arrangements. Successful experiences helped the women become more motivated.

and ”afklaring” (job and education advice and counselling) in order to figure out what they wanted for their future. Throughout the course there was focus on learning to take initiatives and making independent choices. Creating a personal portfolio that reflected their skills and successes was one tool that was used to review personal progress. A lot of time was spent experiencing the job market through study visits, ”job shadowing” (following an employee for a day or two) and work placements. Some of the Women into Work participants were clear about what sort of job they wanted.

These women progressed quickly and finally found work through an employment agency. Those who were unsure about what kind of job suited them, would job shadow or have a short work placement at two or three different work places in order learn about the different possibilities. Respect for the individual At the start of the course each woman was helped to review her possibilities and the social hurdles she faced in relation to the job market. Women into Work staff continually challenged the women, but always with a great deal of respect. Intercultural understanding was an important theme throughout the programme. The women learned to look at themselves from an employer's point of view, and to appreciate what knowledge and attitudes were expected of them as employees. The women’s personal limits were respected however, and their concerns such as ”I can’t touch strange men,” or ”I won’t touch pork or alcohol,” were issues that both the staff and students had to work through. If work in the caring sector or in a canteen or supermarket was not acceptable for the women, then it was expected they find other possibilities; but they were urged never to give up hope. Both the staff and women held fast with the mantra: ”now something is going to happen.” It was essential that experiences in the workplace were positive both for the women and employers. Thus when arranging job-shadowing and work placements clear agreements were made with the businesses

Shohreh’s Experience ”Shohreh” started the Women into Work course in February 2006. The staff running the programme decided that Shohreh would have a ”soft start,” as she was uncertain about what kind of job she wanted. She began as a canteen assistant in the Red Cross Culture House café for two days and then she assisted in a kindergarten for five days. Following that, she did a work placement in a Danish Red Cross second-hand shop for two weeks. Shohreh found that it was fun to be out of the house and that Danes were friendly and that they valued her and the work she did. Week-by-week her self-confidence grew and the breakthrough came the day Shohreh saw a job advertisement through a temping agency. The Women into Work staff suggested she took the courage and give the agency a call. They then backed her up and said to the agency, ”how can she get a job with out experience? Give this woman a chance!” The next day Shohreh went for an interview and by the end of the week she was working full-time washing up in a canteen. She was so proud of herself the day the boss said to her ”you are so conscientious.” After two months the boss suggested that she apply for a permanent job with the company. Shohreh is not the only one to have benefited from Women into Work. Five graduates from the programme currently work as office cleaners or kitchen assistants; one is a nursery school assistant and two have enrolled in courses to gain basic education qualifications with the aim of becoming nursery school assistants.

A place to find motivation Mentee, Karina Blanco Hilm, and mentor, Malene Magaard, are both happy they joined the Kvinfo mentor network because it has enriched their lives. The Kvinfo mentor network is important as more than 50 % of all jobs in Denmark are filled via personal networking.

FACTS: For more information about the Kvinfo mentor network visit: http://www.kvinfo.dk/file. php?file=896 in English and http://www.kvinfo.dk/side/457/ in Danish or email: kvinfo@kvinfo.dk or phone: +45 33 13 50 88

By Tina Kvinfo is the Danish Centre for Information on Women and Gender. It is a grant-maintained, self-governing institution under the Ministry of Culture. Kvinfo runs a mentor network, which matches women immigrants, refugees or Danes from ethnic minorities who are looking for work with women who are in the labour market. The mentors provide access to their network, help with job applications, they explain the culture in the Danish workplace etc. through face to face meetings with their mentees. Kick start After graduating from the University of Copenhagen Karina spent a year looking for a job; but it was difficult for her to get in contact with companies. Hence she decided

to join the mentor network and after she met her mentor, Malene, it all changed. “Malene really gave me a kick start and motivated me to start looking at different job possibilities, rewriting my CV and making job applications. She asked a lot of useful questions and provided me with an internal contact at my present workplace - now I have a wonderful job,” explained mentee, Karina. Networking Malene heard about Kvinfo’s mentor network about four years ago and has been a mentor for one year. Recently she was matched with a second mentee. “I am interested in the the mentor network because I think there is prejudice and hostility towards immigrants in Den-mark, whereas I have always been welcomed wherever I lived abroad. I came to the conclusion that I would

use my network and skills to help people who come to Denmark. Also, I find it interesting to meet people from other cultures; in the end we often face the same issues concerning work and social life,” said mentor, Malene. Satisfaction Mentee, Karina, and mentor, Malene, recommend everyone to join the network no matter whether they are a refugee or stationed overseas in Denmark or whatever their age or occupation. “I find it very satisfying to be involved in another person’s life and to use my experience and skills - I wouldn’t be without it. The relationship may be purely professional but it may also be a social, that is up to the mentee and mentor,” explained Malene.

Ethnic Mentors A new study shows that job mentors work effectively as role models for new immigrants in the job market if they both belong to the same ethnic minority, in order to enhance their successful integration into Danish society.

By Kumar The quality of life for various types of immigrants in Denmark varies considerably. The situation especially differs for refugees compared to those who came to Denmark for work and became permanent residents. Many refugees came alone due to hard circumstances they faced in their war-torn countries, and have stayed for many years in the Danish refugee centres where local society remains far from their reach. In recent years, the inflow of refugees to Denmark has come from a wide variety of countries, but mainly the former Yugoslavia, Iraq, Afganistan, Somalia and Chechenya. Of course the people from these countries represent a wide variety of different backgrounds and cultural norms. In an effort to enhance their integration into Danish society and to encourage immigrant women to join the job market, projects have been developed with the help of the Ministry of Labour and the Danish Red Cross Asylum Department. The purpose of these programmes is to increase gender equality in

the job market by bringing more immigrant women into jobs and give them equal opportunities as men. The Danish Red Cross Asylum department helped to give these women training and develop their skills required for the job market. But the cultures that young immigrant women come from are highly differentiated and vary according to the following factors: country of origin, rural or urban background in the home country and religious and cultural values. Due to these reasons, there are always obstacles they face in getting a job in the labour market. Moreover, a majority of immigrants in Denmark are Muslims and all of them have mother tongue other than Danish. There are also additional factors including way of life, fundamental cultural values, habits and customs, religion and, of course, many are coming from strongly male-dominated societies where men decide over women and fathers over children. These values that dominate in many parts of world, face a sharp conflict with the needs of the labour market and the basic requirements for jobs.

Job mentors are useful in this case, as they act as a bridge between two different worlds. People who are new to Europe and Denmark are able to become knowledgeable about cultural, religious and social norms and also have access to information about job markets. Job mentors are often professionals who act as advisors and role models to new members of their profession. He or she works as part coach, part motivator and as a guide from within the context of the work environment. For immigrant refugees, it may be helpful to have a mentor who is also from an ethnic minority, besides being the same sex, age and from a similar religious background. Such mentors may have particularly useful suggestions to help immigrants find their way by sharing their valuable experiences and guiding others who may come from a similar background. The perspective of an ethnic minority job mentor can be invaluable and they can effectively help to remove obstacles that immigrants face in today’s job market.

newtimes · May 2007

Islam and Working Women Often the media refers to religion as a barrier that blocks Muslim women’s access to the Danish labour market. New Times conducted an interview with the Muslim scholar and Imam, Fouad Barazi in Copenhagen about the issue: Muslim women at work.

By Basem Q: What is the view of Islam to involve women in the labour market? Is it the duty of women to work? Are there limits to the work that Muslim women can do? A: Islam does not prevent women from working, but it allows it on the condition that this work is commensurate with her nature and physical capacity, and is dictated by her religion and beliefs. It may involve women in work that is not equal with their perceived status. For example hard labour, such as working in mines and hazardous locations, as well as, work that is not suitable for pregnant women and may cause distortion of the fetus, is not recommended. Islam treats women with kindness and respect and women in Islam are required to be effective and valid members of the community. We see for example women are sometimes required to work in a job that is not suited to the status of women and their level of education. For example, when caseworkers in the Kommunes force educated women to work in areas away from their specialization, such as cook-

ing, cleaning bathrooms, working in cafes and railway or doing hard labor, this is not respecting the woman’s abilities. The Religion of Islam asks us to dignify women. To dignify women is in not to place them in an area which is outside of their specialization. The caseworker has to provide women with work that is equal to their qualifications and physical abilities. Also they should be treated with appreciation and respect and we must be mindful of their religious beliefs. Q: Does Islam require women to work? If not what happens when the women live in a non-Muslim country such as Denmark and the law of that State encourages women to work. Is there duty to act in such a situation? A: Islam allows women to work but does not force them to work. If a Muslim woman lives in a country that encourages them to work, then she must respect the law of that state. However, as we mentioned earlier, she must act in accordance of conditions outlined in our religious doctrine. Even in international human rights law there is no discrimination regarding faith, religion or ethnicity. Q: What if women could find work only in places where there is contact with prohibited materials, such as pork or alcohol? What should be done in such a situation? A: In Islam, work in these areas is prohibited. In this situation there should be some sort of cooperation and responsiveness between the

Photos: Nurali

newtimes · May 2007

two parties. For example, a Muslim woman working in a supermarket, like Netto or Føtex, should not have to work with prohibited items. These types of jobs, like a cashier, can be assigned to someone else who does not have beliefs that prevent them from working with prohibited substances. By doing this, we do not prevent Muslim women from accepting employment; instead we keep everyone's social and religious respects intact. Q: If some women are prevented from working by their spouses, should the woman obey her husband or obey the law of the State? A: I would like to mention here that in such a situation, the law in Denmark does not force a woman to work, so the wife will not be punished if she does not work. But, the law does say that a woman who does not work is not eligible to get social assistance. In such a situation she may have a choice between two things, if a woman has received social assistance then she must work, but if she does not work that means she does not wish to get social assistance and in such a situation the husband will have to support his wife and provide her with her basic needs. In such a situation, as long as it is not in against Danish law, I believe that the good relations between a woman and her husband is the best, rather than what might happen if a divorce or separation occurs and dispersal of families and children is the result. Anyhow, I recommend women or men to respect the law and do not trick or attempt to cheat the law for any reason.

Legal letters is your direct way to learn more about asylum seekers and law. henriette Ingvardsen, an

LEGALLETTERS experienced legal counsellor at Dansk Flygtningehjælp, will do her very best to answer all your questions.

I am a rejected asylum seeker who has been living in Denmark for the last 8 years. I have cooperated fully with the police in relation to my deportation but my country will not accept me. Is there an law which says that if you cooperate with the authorities about your deportation and yet the police are not able to deport you, then after 18 months you are eligible to get residence in Denmark? I have signed my deportation papers three times and each time my country has refused to take me back. What can I do? Yes, according to the Danish Aliens Act, it is true that if there is no prospect of deporting a rejected asylum seeker to his/her home country and the rejected asylum seeker has cooperated fully with the police in this respect for more than 18 months, then the asylum seeker

will be given a temporary residence permit. However, it is essential that the Danish police, in addition, state that there is no prospect of deporting you before you will be given a temporary residence permit. This means in practice that you do not have a right to receive a residence permit after 18 months, and there is no time limit for how long the police can be engaged in trying to arrange the deportation. It is still a matter of judgement as to whether there is in fact a prospect of sending you back. All you can do is continue to cooperate with the police and wait. If you have any further questions please come to the open counselling at the Danish Refugee Council, Wednesdays 13:00 - 15:00. You do not need to book a specific time; you can just show up.

The UNHCR appealed to Denmark and all EU countries, to give Iraqi asylum seekers who are fleeing from central and southern Iraq residence in the EU. The question is: what pressures can be brought to bear and what consequences exist for countries that do not respond to this appeal? As you yourself write, UNHCR has appealed to Denmark and other European countries to grant Iraqi asylum seekers residence permits, but this is only a recommendation. Non-governmental organisations such as, for example, the Danish Refugee Council does lobby work and creates media attention to support such recommendations. It is true, that Denmark is bound by the international conventions that it has signed, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention. However the 1951 Refugee Convention does not say that a state is obliged to

grant residence permits to certain groups of asylum seekers. According to the Convention, an asylum seeker who has gone through an individual refugee status determination and has received a final negative response is obliged to return home.

ASK uS Any questions? Write your question to: n New Times DRC Culture House Strandgade 108 1401 København K newtimes@redcross.dk Please feel free to ask anonymously. You can also contact: n Dansk Flygtningehjælp Legal Councelling Unit – Asylum Department Borgergade 10 Postbox 53 1002 København K Webpage: www.flygtning.dk E-mail: advice@drc.dk Free legal counselling for asylum seekers every Wednesday 13-15 You need to present you questions in Danish or English

newtimes · May 2007

gIve ASyLum SeeKerS A LIFe A majority of Danes want to give rejected asylum seekers an opportunity to work and get an education whilst they stay in Denmark. By Osama Rejected asylum seekers should have the possibility to work, get an education and live outside asylum centres whilst waiting to be repatriated to Iraq. That is what a majority of Danes want, according to a survey conducted in January by Catinét, the Nordic research institute and published in various Danish newspapers. 1025 Danes were asked about what should happen to the 583 Iraqi asylum seekers, who live indefinitely in asylum centres in Denmark. They can not be repatriated to Iraq due to war and insecurity in the country, and yet the Danish authorities refuse to give them asylum. 77.8 % answered YES to the question: should these asylum seekers have the right to work. Only 22% said NO and 1% don’t know. The support is a huge 87.8 % when it comes to the issue of education, while 75 % say that Iraqi asylum seekers should be given the right to live outside asylum centres. The survey also shows that while 25% of Danes think that the Iraqis should not be granted a permanent

ShorTcuTS The cavling prize goes to articles about asylum seekers The Danish prize for journalism has gone to journalist, Olav Hergel and fotojournalist, Miriam Dalsgaard from Politikken for their series of articles about asylum seekers. The Cavling committee decided at the beginning of January to give the prize for 2006 to the two journalists for a series of articles about the conditions which refugees - and especially their children - live under at the Kongelunden asylum center, near Copenhagen. The reasons for giving the award were: ”By their penetrating reporting and the close interplay between text and pictures they have brought the children’s fate to the public attention”. The Cavling prize was handed over on Friday 5th January in the Journalists’ House, Copenhagen.

newtimes · May 2007

The Danish refugee council is putting pressure on the Immigration Service In the next few months the Danish Refugee Council (Dansk Flygtningehjælp) will hold meetings with about 480 rejected Iraqi asylum seekers. The aim is to get the Refugee Council to reopen their cases. Anne la Cour, who has responsibility for asylum issues at the Danish Refugee Council said, ”We have here some people, who are entitled to asylum because, according to information from the UNHCR, they will be persecuted if they return to Iraq”. Longer waiting time for asylum seekers Asylum seekers in Denmark are now waiting longer than ever before, even though the Danish immigration authorities have been getting

quicker at handling cases. In 2002 an asylum seeker lived on average 313 days in an asylum centre. Now, according to a new report from the immigration service, it has risen to 1196 days, which amounts to three years and three months. Fewer get asylum in Denmark Never before have so few got residence in Denmark than in 2006. According to Statistics Denmark, 1096 asylum seekers got residence last year. That is 52 fewer than in 2005 – and fewer than we have seen over the past two decades. The number was five times higher before the tightening up around the turn of the millennium – and twenty times higher in 1995, when many from Bosnia were granted asylum.

residence in Denmark, 58% say that Iraqis should be granted the right to stay in Denmark until it is possible for them to return home. Finally, 7.5 % of Danes say that the Iraqis should be expelled by force. uN support The survey comes at the same time as an appeal by the UN to Europe to grant Iraqi asylum seekers residence. The central and southern parts of Iraq are devastated by war, violence and insecurity, so that it is highly dangerous even just to be in these areas. Because of the dangers, the UNHCR recommends that countries like Denmark grant residence to asylum seekers from those areas. Priests take action Priests from Northern Zealand have intervened. In January they arranged a demonstration and said prayers in their churches in protest against the authorities’ refusal to grant residence to asylum seekers. “The present asylum policy is inhumane. It’s about humiliating people” said ten priests from Hillerød.

FAcTS: n 583 asylum seekers from Iraq have had their asylum applications in Denmark rejected. n They do not want to go back to Iraq. Denmark can not expel them by force, because Iraq refuses to receive them. n They have lived in Danish asylum centres for between five and seven years without any possibility to work or be educated. n UNHCR recommends that because the security situation has deteriorated drastically the last six months Denmark, along with other European countries, should not try to send Iraqis to Iraq. n A report from the UN shows that in 2006 34,452 civilians were killed in Iraq.

On 5th February a group of five rejected asylum seekers landed at Copenhagen airport. They were returning from Iraq where they had been evaluating the possibility of returning home.

By Basem The message is loud and clear: No, it is not possible to return to Iraq. That is what the majority of the five rejected asylum seekers said after a short trip to Iraq to investigate the possibility of returning home. The five Kurdish asylum seekers from Sandholm and Avnstrup asylum centres, two Danes from Care4You Association and two journalists from the Danish newspaper, Politiken left for the north of Iraq on 22nd January 2007. Chalak was one of the asylum seekers on this trip. He visited both his home town, Sulaimaniya and Erbil, which is reckoned to be a peaceful place in comparison with the rest of Iraq. About 100 of the 583 Iraqis who have had their asylum cases rejected come from the Kurdish part of northern Iraq. Care4You’s trip This is the first of the so-called “Go&See” visits being arranged by Care4You Association and financed by the Ministry of Integration. The aim of the trip is to motivate Iraqis to leave Denmark voluntarily. The five Iraqis returned to Denmark on 5th February and they are now tell-

Go & See Visit ing their fellow countrymen in the asylum centres about the possibilities for returning home. “We have been living in Danish asylum centers for many years so it was a great offer and good opportunity to visit our families. That was the first motivation for my saying yes to participating in the trip. The second motivation was to see the situation in our country first hand and to decide if there is a possibility to return or not,” said Chalak. Prices and Security “I did not expect the very high cost of living. Neither did I expect the presence of American military bases nor the deployment of the soldiers everywhere. That is a special cause for concern as it is an invitation to terrorist attacks,” said Chalak. The group’s reading of the security situation can be summed up thus: if the majority of the cities in a country are not safe, then none of the cities will be safe. “If you stay in Sulaimaniya and Erbil for a short time, then you may think that they are safe. There are many checkpoints both inside and at the entrance to the cities. Citizens cooperate with the authorities by using their mobile phones to inform of anything suspicious and many

criminals and terrorists have been arrested as a result.” “Karkuk, between Sulaimaniya and Erbil, is far less secure, there are explosions there every day,” said Chalak and added, “If you stay inside Sulaimaniya and Erbil it’s OK, but if you try to go to Karkuk or to the south, for example for commerce or medical treatment, then your life will be at risk. It’s also dangerous to travel between Sulaimaniya and Erbil and Duhok at night”. Go back New Times put it to Chalak that if it was OK for him to travel back to Iraq with Care4You, why is he staying in Denmark waiting for asylum? Why doesn’t he just go back to Iraq permanently? “We visited Iraq only for a very short period of time, and we were supported by the Care4You Association. We stayed at five star hotels, we ate in the best restaurants and we were confined to a specific area of Kurdistan (the northern part of Iraq). If you go independently, then you have to think about where to stay. If you get a chance to work, then the salary you get is not enough to pay even half of the rent. Then there are the living costs and food. Also,

if you live there permanently, you will need to travel sometimes and that is not safe. Your possibility of finding a job or of living a normal life is very small and besides there are hundreds of immigrants who are fleeing from central and southern Iraq seeking jobs and safety,” said Chalak. Recommendations Chalk does not recommend any Iraqi to go back to Iraq under the current circumstances. “I want to say briefly: our country is burning and any small spark could cause it to explode at any moment. There is no absolute safety anywhere in Iraq now, nor will there be in the near future. There is a potential threat that Turkey, America or Iran will start some action in their own interests. There is also the possibility that Kurdistan will be caught in the firing line between America and Iran should there be any conflict between them. Therefore I do not recommend anyone to go back to Iraq” said Chalak. Hope “I will stay in Denmark challenging the authorities for our right to get asylum here, especially since most EU countries have given Iraqis the

right to stay. I hope one day the rules in Denmark will be changed and become humane and realistic” said Chalak. No comment Care4You declined to give an interview to New Times about their trip to Iraq. “We have no comment concerning Chalak’s statements to New Times. We recommend waiting until we have met with different asylum seekers in Denmark to discus the matter with them, and after that we can comment”, said an official at Care4You Association office to New Times.

FACTS: Since 2005 the Foreign Ministry has financed a programme to help Iraqis who decide to return home. The programme is in cooperation with the Iraqi authorities and implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) The aim is to improve the conditions both for the returnees and their local communities. The programme has two main elements: n Help with starting your own business. There is provision for support for a total of 80 projects with a sum of $2500 (about DKK 14,200) per person and job training and assistance in cooperation with a local organisation. n Support for the local communities to which the Iraqis return in the form of rebuilding the local infrastructure and the general level of services for citizens, especially in the three northern provinces. The total support amounts to 9 million kroner. Source: Ministry of Integration

Photo: Otman

newtimes · May 2007

Support group for refugees in danger

(Støttekredsen for Flygtninge i Fare)

The support group has asked the Immigration Service to report on: 1. How many asylum seekers there are in the Danish asylum centres – with the information broken down according to numbers and the countries they come from. 2. How many of the asylum seekers in the centres have been rejected and are due to be sent home. 3. How many of the asylum seekers in the centres are children under the age of 18.

Of the 1,175 asylum seekers that Denmark wants to repatriate: 927 are adults and 248 are children under 18 years of age. 7 of the children are unaccompanied (they came to Denmark without any parents)

The report shows that at the end of 2006 there were fewer than 2000 asylum seekers in Denmark. Of the 2000 who are in the centres 1,175 are rejected asylum seekers who must leave. The figures are as follows:

Number of asylum seekers housed in asylum centres. Immigration Service figures for the end of October 2006

Number of asylum seekers in asylum centres waiting for deportation.Immigration Service figures 2.12.2006

Country

Number

Country

Number

Iraq

646

Iraq

594

Serbia and Montenegro

309

Serbia and Montenegro

172

- of these from Kosovo

143

Somalia

Iran

146

Iran

Stateless Palestinians

107

Stateless Palestinians

Afghanistan

Syria

Russia

Bangladesh

Bosnien-Hercegovina

Azerbajdjan

Lebanon

Armenia

Algeria

Sri Lanka

Georgia

Others (55 nationalities)

326

China

Others

Grand total

1175

740 asylum seekers live in the dispatch centres. http://www.stoettekredsen.dk

Published by: The Red Cross Asylum Department Editorial Office: DRC Culture House, Strandgade 108 1401 Copenhagen K, Denmark Tel. 3527 9700; E-mail: newtimes@redcross.dk

Grand total

Editor-in-chief: Henrik Ravn Staff: Kumar, Sergei, Jawad, Jehan, Otman, Basem, Nedal, Tina; JoAnna Translation and proof reading: Patricia Brander and JoAnna Pollanais

1996

Lay-out: Jens Burau Printed by: OTMAvistryk Distributed to: Danish asylum centers, ministries, members of the Danish Parliament, public libraries, asylum and human rights organisations, NGOs, medias and individuals in Denmark and abroad.

ISSN: 1397 6877 The opinions expressed are those of the authors and the persons interviewed. DRC cannot be held responsible for any other opinions. All contributions are very welcome from readers and others who take an interest in the issue of

asylum. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit these materials according to editorial and space considerations. This publication is based on the Red Cross principles of humanity, independence, impartiality, neutrality, voluntarism, universality and unity.

ASYLANSØGERE PÅ VEJ MOD ARBEJDE

newtimes · May 2007