People put on work uniforms to show off their professions as the UK Government were urged to lift the ban which prevents those seeking asylum from being able to work.
Our friends and colleagues at Maryhill Integration Network organised an event to showcase the wealth of talent, skills and professional experience of people currently prevented from working.
Currently, people are not allowed to work until they receive refugee status, something that can take many months and even years. During this time people seeking asylum are dependent on financial support from the UK government, which can be as little as 10% of the rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance.
One speaker, a qualified nurse, said: “If you are an asylum seeker, you are still a human being. You should still have the right to live a normal life.”
The majority of the Scottish public believe that people seeking asylum should be allowed to work too.
In new polling this year, 62% of people should be allowed to work to support themselves and their families. This sentiment was reflected in many of the people passing by the demonstration.
Gordon, 63, who lives in Calton, told us that he supported the campaign. “Of course asylum seekers should be allowed to work”, he said. “It’s baffling that they aren’t already. There shouldn’t need to be a big protest about it, the government just needs to use its head.”
Lift the Ban:
We are part of the Lift the Ban coalition pushing the government in Westminster for change. Together, we believe we can #LiftTheBan and ensure that people seeking safety in the UK have the right to work.
We believe that people who have risked everything to find safety should have the best chance of contributing to our society and integrating into our communities. This means giving people seeking asylum the right to work, so that they can use their skills and live in dignity.
Lifting the ban would also address mental health issues, challenge forced labour and exploitation, and result in an economic gain for Scotland and all of the UK.
[📷 Some these photos were taken by photographer, artist and activist Sadia Sikandar. You can find more of her work on Instagram.]
