Meldpunt Vreemdelingendetentie – Immigration Detention Hotline
The Immigration Detention Hotline is an initiative of the LOS Foundation (the National Support Centre for Undocumented Migrants).
Foundation LOS is committed to the (collective) interests of undocumented migrants in the Netherlands. Thereby the LOS foundation relies on Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights *. On the basis of this article, everyone is entitled to food, clothing and shelter. In the context of this objective LOS Foundation advocates for the respect of the basic rights of these undocumented migrants towards the government, politicians and the Dutch society as a whole and the LOS Foundation supports professionals and organizations that provide care, support and assistance to undocumented migrants.
To achieve this the LOS foundation aims to collect, enhance and disseminate knowledge about the rights of undocumented migrants and their actual position in Dutch society.
LOS Foundation collects complaints about the conditions of detention of aliens, but also medical service, relatives of foreigners, politicians and others. By collecting and connecting all these complaints, the LOS Foundation wants to gain more insight into the conditions of detention. With this the LOS Foundation wants to draw political and media attention.
Year(s): Since 2012
Target group(s): Migrants held in immigration detention
Website: http://meldpuntvreemdelingendetentie.nl
Methodology
The Immigration Detention hotline collects complaints concerning the circumstances in immigrant detention. LOS Foundation examines these reports, if eligible and possible writes complaints to the appropriate authorities, and ask for awareness within politics and the media.
The goals are to make the circumstances in the detention centres transparent and through this to intensify the political and legal pressure towards improving these circumstances.
In order to reach this, the media is informed about the circumstances in detention. LOS Foundation furthermore takes legal action with the help of lawyers, and confronts the responsible authorities concerning those circumstances in detention.
LOS Foundation appeals to everyone who is being held in immigrantion detention or knows somebody who is, to call with questions or complaints concerning medical care, (isolation) cells, the way of being treated, food, the procedure or other aspects of immigration detention.
Call from detention: 0800-3388776 (for free)
Call from outside detention: 010-7470156
Type of product
- Online resource
- Offering help and assistance by phone
Brief description of the product / outcome / method
By calling the hotline migrants in detention can share their problems and experiences and ask for assistance.
Impact on target groups / Transferability potential
With the implementation of this project LOS Foundation can inform the world about the abuses within immigration detention, with the ultimate goal of eliminating detention as part of the Dutch return policy.
Foundation LOS plays an active role towards the government and media in the context of advocacy and undocumented image forming. Furthermore the LOS foundation advises practitioners and organizations dealing with the actual assistance to these migrants. LOS foundation is also working actively to promote cooperation between them and to create a strong network that contributes to the improvement of the situation of undocumented migrants in the Netherlands.
Promoter of the initiative
Name of organization / individual: Stichting LOS
Country: Netherlands
Website: www.stichtinglos.nl
Contacts: Tel.010 7470156 E-mail: info@stichtinglos.nl