Wales ELGC Committee calls for Wales to become the world’s first Nation of Sanctuary

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee (ELGC) of the National Assembly for Wales has released a report looking at the situation of refugees and asylum-seekers in Wales and makes recommendations around the accessibility and quality of devolved services for which the Welsh Government is responsible. These included calling for more robust integration plans including access to ESOL, education and employment, securing improvements to asylum accommodation, and establishing a guardianship service for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Importantly, the Committee called on the Welsh Government to make Wales the world’s very first ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ and endorsed the Seven Steps to Sanctuary which were produced by the Welsh Refugee Coalition. The coalition is calling on all Assembly Members to support the recommendations in the report and Oxfam has an online action to target AMs here.