About La cimade
La Cimade: A Humanitarian Organization Dedicated to Helping Refugees and Migrants
La Cimade is a French non-profit organization that has been working tirelessly for over 80 years to support refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. The organization was founded in 1939 by Protestant churches in France with the aim of providing assistance to refugees fleeing Nazi Germany. Since then, La Cimade has expanded its scope of work and now operates across France, providing legal aid, social support, and advocacy services to vulnerable populations.
The name "La Cimade" comes from the French acronym for "Comité Inter-Mouvements Auprès des Évacués," which translates to "Inter-Movement Committee for Assistance to Evacuees." Today, La Cimade is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in France dedicated solely to supporting refugees and migrants.
Mission
La Cimade's mission is simple yet powerful: "L'humanité passe par l'autre," which means "Humanity passes through others." This motto reflects the organization's belief that we are all interconnected as human beings and that it is our responsibility as a society to help those who are most vulnerable.
La Cimade's primary goal is to provide assistance and protection for refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. The organization works towards this goal by offering legal aid services such as representation during asylum interviews or appeals processes. They also provide social support services such as housing assistance or language classes.
In addition to direct service provision, La Cimade also engages in advocacy work at both the national and international levels. The organization advocates for policies that protect the rights of refugees and migrants while also raising awareness about their plight among the general public.
Services
La Cimade offers a wide range of services designed specifically for refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers. These include:
Legal Aid: La Cimade provides legal representation during asylum interviews and appeals processes. They also offer legal advice on issues such as residency permits, family reunification, and labor rights.
Social Support: La Cimade offers a variety of social support services to help refugees and migrants integrate into French society. These include housing assistance, language classes, job training programs, and cultural activities.
Advocacy: La Cimade engages in advocacy work at both the national and international levels. The organization advocates for policies that protect the rights of refugees and migrants while also raising awareness about their plight among the general public.
Volunteering: La Cimade relies heavily on volunteers to carry out its work. Volunteers can assist with a variety of tasks such as providing translation services or helping with administrative tasks.
Impact
La Cimade's impact is significant both in France and beyond. The organization has helped thousands of refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers over the years by providing them with legal aid, social support, and advocacy services.
In addition to direct service provision, La Cimade's advocacy work has had a significant impact on policy change at both the national and international levels. For example:
- In 2018, La Cimade played a key role in advocating for changes to France's asylum law that would make it easier for refugees to obtain residency permits.
- In 2019, La Cimade was part of an international coalition that successfully lobbied for the adoption of two UN Global Compacts on Refugees and Migrants.
- In 2020 during COVID-19 pandemic crisis ,La cimade provided emergency aid (food parcels)to more than 10k people across France .
Conclusion
La Cimade is an essential humanitarian organization dedicated to supporting refugees,migrants,and asylum seekers .The organization provides vital legal aid,social support,and advocacy services designed specifically for these vulnerable populations.La ciamde believes that "Humanity passes through others" and it is our responsibility as a society to help those who are most vulnerable. La Cimade's work has had a significant impact on policy change at both the national and international levels, making it an essential organization in the fight for refugee and migrant rights.
lacimade.org