Making human rights a reality for refugees in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

We are an international nonprofit founded to make refugee rights a reality in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Our advocates help refugees access their fundamental rights to safety, employment, education, and protection. Asylum Access believes all refugees deserve a fair chance at a new life. All over the world, we challenge barriers that keep refugees from living safely, moving freely, working and attending school – because when refugees can rebuild their lives, nations thrive.

We work to give refugees a fair chance at life

Most of the world’s refugees spend decades or generations confined in camps, prohibited from working, or otherwise prevented from rebuilding their lives. Asylum Access was founded to change this. Refugees are people who have fled their home countries to escape war or targeted violence. Today, less than 1% of the world’s 21 million refugees find refuge in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia each year. The vast majority remain in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Meanwhile, the average time of a protracted refugee situation — one in which at least 25,000 people are displaced for 5 years or more — is 26 years. In many countries, refugees cannot live safely, move freely, work or attend school. They may be prohibited from opening a bank account or starting a business. The police and courts may refuse to protect them from crimes or discrimination.

Asylum Access challenges these barriers that keep refugees from rebuilding their lives. We believe all refugees deserve a fair chance at a new life — and that when refugees can rebuild their lives, everyone benefits.

We work towards empowerment

Asylum Access helps refugees assert their rights today and change systems so they have more rights tomorrow. As we continue to dismantle global and national barriers for refugees, we amplify the voices of refugee communities so they become their own champions.

Our model of empowerment challenges ourselves and others in the refugee response field to prioritize not only immediate aid to refugees, but also to implement sustainable solutions that enable refugees to provide for themselves and contribute to their communities.