2002 - Asylum Seekers in Australia
IFSW sent a petition in 2002 to the Australian Government expressing its concern over the treatment of asylum seekers
IFSW received reports in 2002 from social workers and psychiatrists who had visited detention centres for asylum seekers in Australia who were seriously concerned at the level of psychological trauma and mental illness being experienced by the detainees. Their forced detention and isolation from community supports served to retraumatise people who had already been traumatised from their experiences in the countries they had fled, and on their dangerous journey seeking refuge.The IFSW President wrote to the Prime Minister of Australia to express the concern of the International Federation of Social Workers at the conditions in the detention centres, and at the policies of the Australian Government that led to such conditions.
page last updated on 19.10.2005