Aditus Foundation

Aditus Foundation was established with a view to monitor, act and report on access to fundamental human rights by individuals and groups. Aditus Foundation was founded on the principles of the universality, interdependence and indivisibility of all fundamental human rights, and we strive to promote their understanding and application. As a generic human rights NGO, we work constantly to adopt a broad perspective for human rights in Malta, identifying themes such as non-discrimination and access to effective remedies. We also work towards highlighting the regional and international implications of human rights. Our main activities include the identification of priority areas, formulating advocacy strategies and working towards improvement in legal and administrative standards. We focus primarily on the Government of Malta, but also address the EU institutions, the UN, the Council of Europe and other relevant agencies. We remain in constant communication and cooperation with governmental, intergovernmental and non-governmental entities to maintain a comprehensive approach to our activities.

Aditus Foundation website

Barbara von RĂĽtte

Barbara von RĂĽtte is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Max-Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. Prior to this she has completed her PhD at the University of Bern within the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research NCCR - on the move. Her doctoral and postdoctoral research focuses on the regulation of nationality in international law, in particular the right to nationality. Her broader research interests include questions relating to citizenship law and theory as well as statelessness, Swiss nationality law, legal identity, and the administrative detention of migrants both from a constitutional law as well as a human rights perspective. Since 2020 she is a member of the Swiss Federal Commission on Migration and serves as a book review editor for the Statelessness and Citizenship review. Until 2019 she also served as a consultant for the Council of Europe on the committee of experts on administrative detention of migrants (CJ-DAM).

Barbara von RĂĽtte website

Erika Kalantzi

Erika Kalantzi past and current roles include Attorney-at-Law at the High Court of Greece 1990-1996: legal counselor at the Greek Council for Refugees 1998-3/2001: participation – representing UNHCR’s office in Athens - to second instance committee for the regularization of illegal migrants in Greece. 2000-2008: participation to second instance committees for the examination of submissions filed by rejected asylum seekers. 1998 till 2015: editing of the Yearbook of Refugee and Aliens Law (issued by the Publisher Ant. N. Sakkoulas in Greece).

Forum Réfugiés

Forum Réfugiés works to protect the needs and promote the rights of all asylum seekers, stateless persons and refugees. The four main activities of our association are: reception and legal accompaniment of asylum seekers, integration through work and accommodation of refugees, medical and psychological accompaniment, and legal counselling in administrative retention centres. Forum Réfugiés translates its practical work into policy and advocacy activities which aim at raising awareness about the situation of asylum seekers and refugees in France and Europe. Forum Réfugiés  has developed a strong experience and expertise with regards to legislative advocacy. It promotes protection-oriented legislative reforms and policy initiatives at the national and European levels.

Forum Réfugiés website

Human Rights League

The Human Rights League is a civic association (non-governmental organisation) established in 2005. The basic aim of the association is reinforcing the respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms arising from international, European or interstate instruments as well as from the Constitution of the Slovak Republic and other national laws. It combines direct, high-quality and free legal assistance to refugees and migrants in the Slovak Republic, including stateless persons, with advocacy and strategic litigation in the creation, enforcement and implementation of Slovak migration, asylum and integration policy.

Human Rights League website

Jyothi Kanics

Jyothi Kanics has a Masters in International Human Rights Law from the University of Oxford and a Masters in International Relations from Yale University. She is currently working as an Associate Member of Child Circle and completing her PhD at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lucerne. Since 1995 she has been active with NGOs and international organisations including UNICEF, UNHCR, Save the Children and OSCE ODIHR advocating for the rights of migrants in vulnerable situations such as separated children, trafficked persons, undocumented migrants and stateless persons. She continues to provide expert advice to the Council of Europe and OSCE as well as to various foundations and NGOs. She is an active individual member of the European Network on Statelessness in Switzerland and advised the ENS on its #StatelessKids campaign.

Katerina Komita

Katerina Komita is a lawyer before the Supreme Court of Greece specialized in human rights. From 2011 until 2021, she had been a member of the Legal Unit of the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) specialized in vulnerable cases. In this context, for seven years she had been the coordinator of the multidisciplinary project Prometheus (provision of holistic services for the recovery from the consequences of torture suffered by asylum seekers and refugees on a legal, social, psychological and medical level). She has contacted the ENS research Statelessness Index-Greece [years 2019, 2020 and 2021 (ongoing)]. Additionally, she has more than 15 years of experience as a journalist.

Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS)

The Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS) is an independent membership organisation working to protect the rights of asylum seekers in Norway. Its main activities are to give information and legal assistance to asylum seekers, as well as advocacy work toward the political establishment and the general public. NOAS’ largest assignment is the Information and counselling program commissioned by the Directory of Immigration (UDI), which provides information and counselling to asylum seekers shortly after arrival to Norway. NOAS aims to contribute to an asylum policy and practice rooted in humanism, justice and international obligations. NOAS’ focus is on rights for asylum seekers, which also includes stateless persons – approx. 4 -600 stateless persons register as asylum seekers in Norway each year.

Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS) website

Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU)

OPU, the Organization for Aid to Refugees, is the oldest and largest non-governmental organization in Czechia which assists refugees, stateless persons and migrants. We provide free in-person legal and social aid to refugees, stateless persons and migrants. OPU offers this help throughout the entire country by means of aid in all eight reception, accommodation and detention centers and five regional offices. OPU has been the watchdog of any unlawful practices and systemic failures of the Czech asylum and migration policy, including statelessness procedure. This helps us to create systemic change. OPU’s director and lawyers appear in media regularly, criticizing the Czech Ministry of Interior and laws that hurt migrants. OPU has successfully represented many refugees, stateless persons and their families, has fought against unlawful detention and prevented deportation of the most vulnerable individuals and has publicly reported on grave breaches of international law.

Organization for Aid to Refugees (OPU) website

PIC - Legal Centre for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment

PIC – Pravni center za varstvo človekovih pravic in okolja

PIC is a non-governmental organisation focusing on the protection of human rights and the environment. The main areas of work include the protection of the rule of law, refugee and migration law, environmental law and protection of victims of discrimination. PIC provides free legal help and representation and conducts extensive advocacy, policy and awareness activities. 

PIC - Legal Centre for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment website