Human rights lawyer Patrick O’Connor has recently completed his Churchill Fellowship aimed at working to reunite families that are separated by conflict.
In recent years we have witnessed unprecedented humanitarian crises in Afghanistan and the Ukraine, resulting in millions of individuals being tragically separated from their families. Patrick O’Connor’s Gallaugher Bequest Churchill Fellowship project focusses on establishing new and efficient legal processes to reunite families torn apart by these conflicts. The goal is to create a system that facilitates the reunification of families in need and is fair, effective and swift.
“The idea for this project came from my practice in refugee law over the past 10 years and working with hundreds of refugee families who have been separated for many years, and as a result of seeing the pain and suffering and ongoing trauma that is caused by family separation.” said Patrick.
During his Fellowship, Patrick travelled through Europe and the UK, conducting extensive fieldwork, including interviews and observations with human rights advocates and family and refugee lawyers.
“Patrick’s Fellowship has been a crucial opportunity to address a pressing global issue.” said Dr Rachael Coghlan, CEO of the Winston Churchill Trust.
“The separation of families due to conflict is a profound humanitarian concern. The Trust is thrilled to see the impact that Patrick’s Fellowship has had in developing legal frameworks that will expedite reunifications and ensure that families can be together again.” said Rachael.
Patrick O’Connor’s dedication to refugee rights is underscored by his previous work with Mohammad Zaki Rezayi. Mohammad was forced to flee Afghanistan and the Taliban regime to protect his family from the harm that may come to them because of his ethnic minority status as a Hazara man. Despite his status as a genuine refugee, Australian migration law meant that Mohammad was separated from his wife and four children for over a decade. Thanks to Patrick’s tireless efforts, the Rezayi family is now living together in Tasmania, free from the Taliban regime.
Mohammad’s case highlighted the urgent need for streamlined processes to reunite families separated by conflict, inspiring Patrick O’Connor’s commitment to this Fellowship project.
“Family connection is the core that supports the journey of our lives. Family members are with us at the start and the very end of our lives and are often there through all the moments in between that define us as human beings. Any improvement that can be made to the family reunification program in Australia has a benefit for us all.” said Patrick.