This briefing note captures the outcome of a workshop on monitoring immigration detention for European NGOs which took place in Brussels on 26 and 27 of March 2015, organised by the Flemish Refugee Action and the International Detention Coalition (IDC) with support of EPIM.1
The aim of the workshop was to strengthen civil society monitoring of immigration detention by sharing experiences, challenges and positive practices. All the workshop participants work in immigration detention context, and this briefing note brings together tips, examples and positive practices of monitoring, based on the participants’ unique experiences and expertise, gathered during the workshop. The briefing note summarises key information from the workshop sessions, which involved presentations, sharing examples and thematic group discussions. Please see the appendix 2 for the workshop agenda.
The workshop was structured around the content of the guide ‘Monitoring Immigration Detention: A Practical Manual’ published by the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), UNHCR and the IDC. This briefing note is not intended to be a repetition or replacement of this guide, but can be used complementarily. In the note that follows, the shaded boxes show specific examples and contributions made by the participants. The rest of the text summarises information presented by the facilitators during the workshop as well as the outcomes of group discussions.
