Mission
Safe Passage gives financial and non-financial support to local grassroots initiatives to ensure migrants and their communities have the protection and resources they need to stand for their rights and rebuild their lives with dignity.
The Safe Passage Fund stands for solidarity, freedom of movement and safe passage, taking a clear stance against the criminalization of migration
Vision
Safe Passage dreams of a world devoid of violence and oppression, brimming with solidarity, justice, and care. Those displaced by war, climate change, or inequality will reclaim agency and access dignified solutions. Civil society, diverse and open, will unite to champion human rights like freedom of movement. Europe, transcending geography, will decolonize, fostering equality beyond borders with a focus on diversity and social transformation.
Context
The current crises globally force migration, especially to the EU, which raises critical issues of justice. However, the plight at EU borders often goes unnoticed by European society. In 2015, the refugee crisis prompted organizations to refocus on humanitarian efforts. Some initiatives later realized the need to support grassroots collectives empowering refugees and migrants. Safe Passage Fund emerged from this shift.
What are external and externalized EU borders?
Border externalization is the varied measures enforced by the Global North to prevent migrants from the Global South from reaching their borders, often by enlisting third countries or private entities. Externalization controls are often “out of sight” and far from the country’s physical borders, but they still fundamentally restrict movement and violate human rights.
What are safe passages?
Safe passages are the diversity of instruments that allow anyone in need of protection to reach a safe territory where their human rights are protected.
What are gender non-conforming people?
Gender non-conformity describes the behaviours, identities, expressions, and appearances that do not abide by prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their gender. We use this term to denote the make-up of our board, which is exclusively FLINTA* (the acronym, common in Germany, that denotes cis-women, lesbians, intersex people, non-binary people, trans people, and agenda or other gender-diverse people. At the same time that we fight for refugee and migrant rights, we focus on deconstructing patriarchal structures within our internal structures, and empowering the political participation of women and gender non-conforming people.
Meet Our Board
Some of us are migrants, some of us are people of color, some of us are European citizens who recognize and act with the belief that another world is possible. All of us are young, feminist, and come from years of grassroots organizing in both large and small social movements across the world. Working within and outside Europe, our Safe Passage team represents the variety of actors that work at, between, across, under, over, and against borders.
Blindspots
Lina Urbat is active as coordinator in the support work in the Westen Balkans. Her focus lies on networking and cooperation between civil society organizations, activists, and networks. She also works as an educational trainer on the topics of migration and colonial continuities. In the foundation board, Lina represents the organization Blindspots.
Civilfleet-Support e.V.
Mattea Weihe has been active as a cultural mediator in the Mediterranean and the Greek Aegean. On land, she works as a public and press relations officer. Her thematic focus lies on civilian sea rescue in the Mediterranean, research on local and European migration policy, and public relations. In the foundation board, Mattea represents the organization civilfleet-support e.V.
Sea-Watch e.V.
Doreen Johann is active on land in the advocacy work for civil sea rescue in the central Mediterranean. In the foundation board, Doreen represents the organization Sea-Watch.
Solidarity at Sea
Lea Reisner is an operational coordinator and nurse on board of civilian sea rescue ships. Her thematic focus lies on medical projects, the criminalization of migration and its assistance, as well as networking between people on the move and their supporters. In the foundation board, she represents the collective Solidarity at Sea/iuventa10.
Watch the Med - Alarm Phone
Hela Kanakane has been active with different grassroot and decolonial movements and networks. Her thematic focus lies on borders externalisation policies by the EU, migration movements in the Central Mediterranean and North Africa. In the foundation board, she represents the Watch The Med - Alarm Phone network.