Understanding the intersections of gender, immigration detention, and alternatives to detention (ATD)

Immigration detention is a tool of border control and carceral violence that perpetuates discrimination and harm against marginalised communities and upholds the patriarchal dividend. This session organised by the International Detention Coalition (IDC) aimed at collaboratively unpacking immigration detention, including its intersectional, gendered impacts, and how it intersects with (lack of) access to documentation to create environments in which women are systematically disadvantaged and excluded from participating in social, political, and economic spheres and accessing their rights. The session also introduced ‘alternatives to detention’ (ATD) as a rights-centred solution towards ending immigration detention, and highlighted various gender-responsive approaches to ATD across the APAC region.

Speakers

Hannah Reshma Jambunathan is an activist, facilitator, and researcher who joined the International Detention Coalition (IDC) in early 2022. As the Asia Pacific programme officer, she works closely with governments, civil society, communities, media, and the public to end immigration detention and create a more open social and political environment towards migrants and refugees. Hannah recently co-authored a research report on the impacts of immigration detention on refugee communities in Malaysia.

Celia Finch is a policy and strategy advisor, project manager, researcher, social innovator and evaluator committed to working alongside communities impacted by forced displacement to influence decisions that affect them. Celia joined the IDC team as the Asia Pacific regional manager in 2023. She was previously a consultant for the International Organisation for Migration Indonesia mission where she designed, implemented and evaluated migration and community stabilisation projects across Aceh, Jakarta, Papua, West Papua and Maluku.