Contradictions in UK Migrant Law and Women’s Advocacy: The Case of Trafficked/Undocumented Filipino Women
Supported by funding from the AHRC responsive mode: Curiosity Award, this research project examines the exent to which ‘tied’ visas—binding migrant workers or spouses to specific employers or partners—can facilitate abuse. Many Filipino women escaping trafficking or domestic violence become undocumented “illegals” that are presented as a problem for UK society. This project aims to test the extent to which this situation contradicts other UK laws that work to stop comparable abuses, such as honour-based abuse and/or domestic abuse
Led by University of Nottingham, this project has secured funding from the AHRC responsive mode: Curiosity Award: Round Four.
Vote for Rights for Southeast and East Asian Women
The Vote for Rights for Southeast and East Asian Women project aims to enhance the political literacy of Londoners from East and Southeast Asian backgrounds, and help strengthen their democratic engagement.
Through social media campaigns and face-to-face discussions, the project equips individuals with the knowledge and tools to uphold their democratic rights. It addresses barriers to participation, such as voter registration, Voter IDs, and proxy or postal voting, ensuring greater access to democratic processes.
This project is supported by Groundwork and the Greater London Authority.
Women’s Urgent Support Fund
SEEAWA, supported by the Smallwood Trust, offers housing, welfare advice, and employment guidance through the Urgent Support Fund. This initiative strengthens SEEAWA’s infrastructure and extends vital assistance to East and South East Asian (ESEA) women, particularly those in abusive situations or facing No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF).
The fund provides £100 vouchers to ESEA women in crisis, focusing on victims of abuse or those with NRPF. These vouchers address immediate needs like food and clothing, offering crucial financial relief and fostering safety, independence, and recovery for vulnerable women in challenging circumstances.
Housing and Welfare Advice Clinic
Our Housing and Welfare Advice Clinic provides vital housing and welfare support to ESEA women in the UK who are experiencing homelessness, gender violence, domestic violence, or trafficking, offering advice and signposting services in various ESEA languages.
The initiative supports women in resolving housing and welfare issues, navigating economic challenges, and preventing destitution. It aims to increase awareness of their rights, meet basic needs, and foster sustainable, positive change. By helping participants reach their potential, the project not only supports individual women but also strengthens their families and communities, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and resilience.
This project is supported by the National Lottery Community Fund.
Pathways to Safety
The Pathways to Safety project involves the development of a tailored toolkit, based on the input of women who have actually experienced gender-based violence. Through this project, SEEAWA also participates in the Women in Newham Network, fostering a collaborative space where various charities and organisations share resources and ideas to improve the wellbeing of women in Newham and surrounding boroughs.
This project is supported by the Smallwood Trust.
Creative and confidence workshops
A collaboration between SEEAWA, Philippine Theatre UK, Alaga Kita and FDWA offers creative and confidence workshops to the community.
These two day events help build skills in creative thinking, self-confidence, team building, acting and visual arts. Most importantly, they are great fun!
Rise & Lead: Feminist Leadership Training
This project helped participants tap their leadership through a feminist lens by equipping them with skills angled towards equity and inclusion.
Through free two-day workshops, the program covered an introduction to feminism and leadership, intersectionality, burnout and stress management. It also provided participants with practical tools for transformative change, conflict resolution, and implementing feminist principles. Ultimately, the program aims to challenge traditional assumptions about leaders, and enable women to fully own their power.
This project was supported by The London Community Foundation.
Reclaiming Our Space
Following the UK far right rioting, SEEAWA held an away day to Brighton Beach with friends, staff, trustees and the women and families we support.
We came together to empower each other and reclaim our space.
Through this, we empowered our group, building stronger networks in the ESEA community.
We shared problems and experiences and taught our group how to address racism and hate crime.
Safe Accommodation
This was a project in partnership with Kanlungan and Bahay Kubo Housing Association where SEEAWA supported women in our safe accommodation with advice regarding welfare and benefits.
Let Us Lead the Change
Let Us Lead the Change was a transformative training program focused on empowering trafficked and abused Filipino women to rebuild their confidence and advocate for change. The program focused on immigrant rights, employment knowledge, public speaking, and social media skills, fostering leadership and collective care.
The program was opened up to survivors of trafficking and abuse. Following a survey, we delivered tailored training sessions to address their priorities: employment rights, financial stability, and communication and digital skills. The program held its culminating event in September 2024 and since then, participants are now building the tools and confidence to champion their rights and advocate for broader systemic change.
This project was supported by the Civic Power Fund
Community Conversation:
Let’s Talk
Responding to the race riots, SEEAWA quickly supported our community through emergency funding. We invited women from the Filipino Mother’s UK group for an online session on how to keep each other safe from racist hate crimes.
The talk was presented by Rozina Iqbal, Director of Newham Community Projects and the Newham Women’s Network. The talk focussed on women in Newham, and outlined what a hate crime is, the impact it has on mental health and how you can keep yourself safe. It was well received by those who attended.
Justice for Bennylyn and Jellica Burke
Bennylyn Burke was a Filipina single mother to a little two-year-old girl Jellica. The two were brutally murdered in the UK in 2021, at the hands of a depraved man who had targeted Bennylyn after chatting with her online. Their violent deaths are a tragic testament to the ongoing threat to women and girls from the Southeast and East Asian community. Due to sexualisation and racial discrimination, ESEA women and children community are targeted by predatory men, and their vulnerabilities are compounded by insecure immigration statuses and having no recourse to public funds.
Our organisation was conceived in the wake of their deaths, as we rallied together to campaign for justice and support legal action for Bennylyn and Jellica.