Discrimination, harassment and gender-based violence are persistent issues lurking in the shadows of the Dutch asylum system. <\/p>\n
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In response to these issues, and their underrepresentation in policies and research, Fairspace, with funding from Share-Net International, initiated the Let\u2019s Talk Safety<\/i> project to work towards integrating the perspectives of asylum seekers and refugees into the policies and practices concerning safety in Dutch asylum centers. The project recruited a group of participants from different backgrounds who were currently living in or previously lived in AZCs to discuss their experiences and collaborate on designing solutions. <\/p>\n
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The outcome is this policy brief, \u201c<\/b>Lessons from the inside: Participatory Solutions for Safer Dutch Asylum Seeker Centers (AZCs)\u201d<\/i> which addresses the challenges and dangers that asylum seekers and refugees face in Dutch asylum centers (AZCs), the causes and impact of harassment and Gender-Based Violence in this context as well as potential opportunities for change and solutions informed by the target community\u2019s personal experiences.<\/p>\n
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The policy brief focuses on two areas where change is needed which, based on extensive discussions, have the potential to prevent harassment and violence in AZCs:<\/p>\n