Advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy for the Chagossian community is at the heart of our organisation. Chagossian Voices speaks directly with people who have the power and influence to change Chagossian lives for the better and who can help us achieve justice for the Chagossian community. Chagossian Voices has worked constructively with all of the following since 2020 through email and letter writing, in person and virtual meetings and by providing documents, research and case studies
- Local government, in particular Crawley Borough Council, West Sussex County Council and local authorities in Manchester
- UK Government Departments: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) administration, The Home Office and the Passport Office (HMPO)
Chagossian Voices has held more than 20 meetings with representatives of FCDO and BIOT, and is in regular communication with these Government departments. CV has also advocated on behalf of indivduals and groups to ensure speedy and equitable treatment for Chagossians
- MPs and Peers in the UK Parliament and representatives of political parties and Government Ministers
CV has worked closely with MPs and Peers to get justice for Chagossians holding regular meetings and frequent correspondence: notably Henry Smith MP, Mike KaneMP and Baroness Lister and the Chagos All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG)
- The United Nations in New York and Geneva
Chagossian Voices has spent 12 days at the United Nations in New York and Geneva in 2023, making public statements at conferences for indigenous rights and at human rights reviews
- Press and the media (see link below)
Read more about our advocacy work at the links below
- Our briefing paper on citizenship for the UK Parliament, Government ministers and civil servants
- Our statement to the UK Government on the sovereignty negotiations (Nov 2022) and the Government reply
- Our joint statement to the UK Government about the engagement events associated with the Sovereignty negotiations (March 2023) and the Government reply
- Our 12 statements at the United Nations in New York (UNPFII) and Geneva (EMRIP)
- Our statement to the Pre-session of the Universal Periodic Review of Mauritius (UN Geneva Nov 2023)
- Our briefing on Chagossian self-determination for UK Parliamentarians, ministers and civil servants (Jan 2023)
- Our partnership with Chagos Conservation Trust
- Press and the media