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What We Do

Our team works tirelessly to challenge unfairness and injustice for some of the most marginalised communities in Hong Kong. Erosions to the rule of law often begin at the margins of society. We believe that protecting the rights of the most vulnerable will ultimately benefit all Hong Kongers.

How We Work

Our team at Justice Centre provides direct support to people seeking protection in Hong Kong. Our holistic services enable responsive and timely access to legal information, representation, counselling and social welfare.

We integrate sophisticated legal strategy, with authoritative research and targeted awareness raising initiatives to challenge injustice and make lasting changes.

Staff at Justice Centre work in partnership with civil society and the legal and medical sectors to develop cross-sector and multi-disciplinary expertise and collaborations.

Through empowerment initiatives and public campaigns, we bring visibility to the communities we work with and support them to amplify their voices.

We work in partnership with community groups, civil society organizations, and the legal and medical sector to realise our shared vision.

Delivering Holistic Services

Improving the System

Training & Technical Assistance

Working in Partnership

Delivering Holistic Services

If you would like to refer clients to our organisation, please complete the appropriate form below:

  • Referral form for external NGOs
  • Referral form for Duty Lawyers

Legal Services

We work to ensure that the most marginalised members of Hong Kong society – refugees, victims of torture and victims of human trafficking and forced labour – have the necessary legal information, support and representation to access protection and remedies in Hong Kong.

We provide tailored and dedicated support to migrants who experience unique challenges due to gender, sexuality, sexual orientation, age, race or ethnicity, statelessness and/or other characteristics.

We work in partnership with pro bono lawyers, duty lawyers and legal aid lawyers to deliver accessible and quality legal services.

Social Welfare Services

We support refugees and disadvantaged migrants to access social welfare, including food, clothing, shelter, healthcare and education.

We work in partnership with other NGOs as well as private organisations to fill the significant gaps left by the bare minimum services provided by the government

Counseling Services

Our inhouse psychotherapist provides counseling services to support vulnerable migrants overcome trauma and other mental effects of persecution, torture and displacement.

We work with mental health professionals in Hong Kong to help vulnerable migrants access long term support where needed.

Improving the System

We combine sophisticated legal strategy, with authoritative research and targeted awareness raising, to drive systemic change for refugees and other marginalised migrants in Hong Kong.

Strategic casework and litigation

Our approach to casework and litigation is responsive and strategic. Through our legal services, we are committed to securing protection and remedies for as many refugees and forced migrants as possible.

Research

We conduct research into issues that affect refugees and marginalised migrants in Hong Kong and Hong Kongers more widely. We employ rigorous and robust research methodology to build an authoritative evidence base. We also partner with civil society and academic institutions to support their research efforts.

Our recent research has focused on the implementation and procedures of the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM), the prevalence of human trafficking and forced labour among migrant domestic workers, the trafficking-asylum nexus, barriers to protection for victims of sexual & gender based violence, and statelessness among Hong Kong’s migrant population.

The research data and reports we produce support our casework and litigation efforts. We share our findings with civil society and government officials and Legislative Council members, to provide support and advice. They are also shared with the wider public to contribute to social awareness, open dialogue and inclusion.

Training & Technical Assistance

If you would like to request technical assistance for a non-refoulement protection claim or a related case, please complete the appropriate form below:
  • Referral form for external NGOs
  • Referral form for Duty Lawyers
We provide technical assistance to the legal community in Hong Kong and the wider region. We deliver regular CPD/CLE accredited training courses on human rights and refugee law, and Hong Kong non-refoulement law practice and procedure. We also host legal groups to workshop specific issues, such as credibility, expert evidence, immigration detention and vulnerable witness procedures. We work closely with pro bono lawyers, duty lawyers and legal aid lawyers to provide technical support throughout USM proceedings (first instance and appeal), legal aid proceedings, judicial review applications and other related procedures (e.g., civil proceedings for unlawful detention claims.) We also deliver Clinical Legal Education (for university law students in their penultimate year) and the Young Advocates Programme (for high school students) to grow the next generation of human rights professionals.

Working in Partnership

Collaboration is at the heart of our working model. We partner with civil society organisations (local, regional and global), law firms, chambers, law schools, private medical practices and other groups to deliver our services and amplify voices.

We are proud and active members of the following networks:

Global & Regional

  • Global Refugee Forum Legal Community Pledge — Core Group Member
  • International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT)
  • The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)
  • The Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network (APRRN)

Hong Kong

  • USM Legal Group
  • Refugee Concern Network

We partner with leading law firms, which provide invaluable pro bono support and resources, and enable us to deliver our services and research work. Read more about our pro bono partnerships here. 

We partner with local and international universities to deliver clinical legal education. 

We work closely with medical practitioners and other groups to fill the social welfare gap.

Areas of Work

Our direct services enable our clients to access protection, rehabilitation and redress.

Based on in depth and unique insight gained through direct services, we integrate strategic casework with research initiatives to raise awareness and work towards a fair system.

Research

Justice Centre’s research team produces high quality research to investigate the root causes of inequalities and provide an evidence base for our awareness raising activities.
› learn more

Policy & Advocacy

We aim to provide realistic and effective recommendations for Hong Kong SAR based on relevant evidence, to create a fairer society.
› learn more

Access to Justice

Our team at Justice Centre provides direct assistance to help refugees and marginalised migrants access legal protection and justice in Hong Kong.
› learn more

Social Welfare & Counselling

Our social welfare and counselling services support those who need help accessing shelter, healthcare, education and material assistance, and overcoming past trauma and other mental effects of persecution, torture and displacement.
› learn more

Pro Bono Partnerships

Justice Centre works closely with law firms and corporations, who dedicate invaluable time, skills and resources (both financial and in-kind) to support refugees and vulnerable migrants in Hong Kong.
› learn more

Educational Programmes

We invest in future generations of human rights advocates and lawyers through our educational programmes, which are designed to instil the practical skills and community ethos to cultivate agents of positive change.
› learn more

Why it matters

We work with community members, advocates, lawyers, and allies of justice across Hong Kong to ensure that the most marginalised members of Hong Kong society have access to a fairer justice system.

We believe this work is both vital and invaluable to the continued health of Hong Kong society. But don’t take our word for it; hear from some of those we’ve worked with:

"Justice Centre is an important presence in the field of Human Rights, especially their research on Human Trafficking and on the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the local, as well as Global context. I have had the pleasure to work with Justice Centre Hong Kong, on both the advocacy and research fronts, and it has been proven to be a strategic and critical partnership for my research and human rights work."
Dr Isabella NgAssociate Head HKU
“Working in Justice Centre was a unique and invaluable experience. I was given genuine responsibilities in conducting country of origin research and drafting legal documents, and was made to feel a valued member of the team. I especially valued every opportunity to listen to Justice Centre’s clients. Hearing of their experiences both before and after their arrivals in Hong Kong gave me an enormous appreciation of the importance of the work that the Justice Centre does in protecting the most vulnerable in society.”
Georgina PressdeeUniversity of Cambridge
“We have a passion for pro bono. Our relationship with Justice Centre Hong Kong has enabled us to identify and aid individuals that we can help with free legal services. The knowledge and expertise of the team at Justice Centre, particularly in refugee claims, has been instrumental in ensuring our help gets to those who most need it”
Mary TongAssociate, Kirkland & Ellis LLP
“The Justice Centre is truly a fantastic organisation. It has been a pleasure to work with such switched on and energetic staff, on projects that make a difference to people’s lives. It is a real asset to Hong Kong!”
Evan ManoliosLawyer at KWM
“Justice Centre is a strong pro bono organization with a professional and amazing team to guide and execute the clear and innovative goals it strives to achieve. Their work is truly remarkable - from providing legal and emotional assistance, to developing policy for asylum seekers and torture victims. We have worked on many projects with them of varying duration and size and each project we have taken on has been impactful, rewarding and challenging. I highly encourage those who haven’t had the chance to work with them to do so; you won’t regret it!”
Cheryl LeungAssociate at KWM
“I have been working with JC on a very difficult case ( as all of theirs probably are ! ). Their font of knowledge, instant reaction and quality of responses are superb. The foreign language interpreter they provided for my private interviews with the initially nervous asylum seeker was world class.”
Paul StarrPartner at KWM
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Publications

We publish many publications over on our research page. They cover various topics with in-depth analysis and case study discussions.

see all Publications

Submissions to the LegCo's Bills Committee on Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020

2021/02/03
Justice Centre, as part of the Refugee Concern Network, provided submissions to the Bills Committee on Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2020.
view pdf
› read more

Not Stopping Here

2019/01/23
This report explores how and why Hong Kong may be a transit site for human trafficking. It is the first one on the subject that has been carried out.
view pdf
› read more
Picture of person cleaning window with Hong Kong Skyline in background

Coming Clean Report

2016/02/26
This study presents the findings of a year-long research project to estimate the scale of forced labour and human trafficking for the purpose of forced labour amongst migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong.
view pdf
› read more

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theDesk, 511 Queens Road West,
Sai Wan. Hong Kong.
MTR: HKU Station, Exit C2.
Tel: +852 3109 7359
Fax: +852 3422 3019
info@justicecentre.org.hk

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What is the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM)?
Who is a Protection Claimant?
How do we provide Individual Assistance?
What is the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM)?

The USM is the new government system for processing protection claims in Hong Kong, implemented in March 2014.

The USM brings refugee claims (referred to by the government as ‘persecution’ claims) together with torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CIDTP) claims under one process.

These are now collectively known as ‘non-refoulement’ claims. The government did not choose to implement this new system – they were forced to do so by a ruling of the Court of Final Appeal in March 2013.

In the USM, protection claimants appear before the Immigration Department. UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) no longer assesses refugee claims in Hong Kong.

Who is a Protection Claimant?

A protection claimant is anyone going through the USM, including refugees and other people seeking protection from torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CIDTP), or persecution.

Protection claimants can be survivors of some of the most deplorable forms of human rights abuses, such as war, rape and various forms of persecution. This population faces particular vulnerabilities in Hong Kong. As they don’t receive levels of assistance suitable to support an adequate standard of living, they are forced into poverty, deprivation and social exclusion. These pressing concerns led Justice Centre to build on its services and to intensify advocacy efforts for the rights of protection claimants.

How do we provide Individual Assistance?

To address the gaps in the Unified Screening Mechanism, we provide individualised support and assistance to the most vulnerable people in need of protection to ensure their needs are met. To identify claimants in need of individualised assistance, we aim to assess every claimant who comes to our centre.

We seek to work with the Duty Lawyer Service, and duty lawyers themselves, to use our expertise to support these vulnerable claimants. Working with our in-house team and pro-bono legal partners, we assist claimants to tell their stories, a process that can take time for people who are traumatised; research country of origin information; and help arrange medical, psychological and/or other expert reports to support their claims and to ensure they have the best chance of a fair process.

Presently non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Hong Kong cannot provide direct legal representation to individual clients in Hong Kong law. As Hong Kong Refugee Advice Centre, we represented clients before UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in the area of international law. However, we are presently unable to provide direct legal representation in the USM. All claimants in the USM will be assigned a duty lawyer, who will be paid by the Hong Kong Government to represent claimants in the USM.

In addition to providing legal information and support, we also campaign for fairer legislation and policies, produce reports and policy papers, conduct research and work with schools, universities and the media to fight root causes and change systems and minds. Visit our Policy and Advocacy page to learn about this work.

Since the introduction of the Unified Screening Mechanism (USM) at the beginning of March 2014 – the new government system for processing protection claims in Hong Kong – the pool of people we can potentially help has expanded to over 9,000, as we extend our services to ALL people seeking protection in Hong Kong.