Asylum Research Centre (ARC), formerly Asylum Research Consultancy, was set up by Liz Williams and Stephanie Huber in 2010. Between October 2016 and July 2022 ARC Foundation was incorporated as a charitable incorporated organisation. Our aim is to raise standards in the production and use of COI and the refugee status determination process as a whole, ultimately ensuring that those in need of protection are recognised as such.
ARC undertakes research, advocacy and training to improve the quality of refugee status determination
News
- August 2023
Commissioned by UNHCR the series of query responses published today look at the situation and treatment of the LGBTQI+ community in Egypt, Tunisia and Uganda respectively between January 2020 and July 2023.
- January 2023
ARC is pleased to announce the publication of its latest COI report. Commissioned by UNHCR this report looks at the situation in Burundi between May 2020 and November 2022 and focuses on the political, humanitarian and human rights situation, particularly for specific at risk profiles and vulnerable groups.
- October 2022
Commissioned by UNHCR this report looks at the situation in Zimbabwe between January 2020 and August 2022 and focuses on the political, humanitarian and human rights situation, particularly for specific at risk profiles and vulnerable groups.
- July 2022
ARC Foundation has just published its Annual Report 2021/2022 outlining its outputs and achievements since its inception in 2016. Following five intense, interesting, challenging and exciting years, ARC Foundation will officially close down this month. However, ARC, the consultancy, will continue so do get in touch if you are interested in collaborations or require assistance in research, training or project management. We would love to hear from you: steph@asylumresearchcentre.org
- June 2022
ARC is pleased to announce the publication of its updated query response on Khartoum and Omdurman, covering the period January 2020 to April 2022. Commissioned by UNHCR, the report specifically looks at the situation and treatment of the following profile groups:
- Black Africans (incl. Darfuri and Nuba)
- Christians
- Students
- Political activists
- (Perceived) political opposition/association with opposition groups, participating in demonstrations/protests, involvement in political groups incl. student unions
- Persons who have participated in protests
- Persons who have shown or are perceived to have shown opposition
- Human rights activists
- Journalists
- Health care workers
- Lawyers
- Artists
- Teachers
- IDPs
- Returnees
- Women
- Children
- Individuals of diverse sexual orientation or gender identity
The report also provides an overview of the political and security situation, as well as touches upon the issue of racism and hate speech in Sudan.
To complement the desk-based research and identified gaps in reporting on specific profiles, conversations were held with representatives of Waging Peace and an international organization based in Sudan. In addition, the transcription notes of a podcast deemed useful for the purpose of this report was also sought and included in this report: Asylum Speakers, Episode 37: What’s happening in Sudan? Everything you need to know and what you can do about it, with Waging Peace of 17th January 2022.
- January 2022
Announcement: ARC Foundation winding down and transferring key projects to Asylos
ARC Foundation’s Board of Trustees have agreed that ARC Foundation’s charitable purpose can best be realised if its cooperation with Asylos be increased. To this end Asylos will take forward key projects that have up to now been run by ARC Foundation or were jointly delivered by both organisations. Consequently, ARC Foundation will wind up its activities by March 2022 and dissolve as a CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation) by July 2022. To get in touch with Asylos’ new Programme Manager email Emily Wilbourn and Fatima Ali, and to find out more about the transfer visit here.
ARC will continue to operate as a consultancy, offering research, project management and training services. For further information contact Stephanie Huber.
- September 2021
ARC Foundation updated its Thematic COI Sources toolkit, which can be downloaded for free here.
Latest Publications
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August 2023
Query Response on Uganda -
August 2023
Query Response on Tunisia -
August 2023
Query Response on Egypt -
January 2023
COI Report on Burundi -
October 2022
COI Report on Zimbabwe -