40+ years defending the rights of Latin American migrant women in the UK.
We are a human rights, feminist organisation run by and for Latin American migrant women living in the UK. We support women who are exposed to violations of their fundamental human rights, facing violence against women and girls, exploitation in low-paid sectors, trafficking, or enduring severe poverty and deprivation.
Our direct support includes casework for women experiencing gender-based violence, counselling and emotional support, advice on benefits, employment rights, family law and immigration, workshops and other integration activities.
We also actively advocate for women’s rights, migrant’s rights and the rights of ethnic minorities at local, national and EU levels, working with sister organisations in the women, anti-trafficking, immigration and racial justice sectors, as well as networks and campaigns, to tackle the vulnerabilities faced by Latin American women, who are affected by intersectional layers of discrimination.
Our story
The Latin American Women’s Rights Service (LAWRS) was founded in 1983 by a group of Latin American women who saw a significant gap in the services that existed for women migrating to the UK from Latin America. Their needs were not met by mainstream organisations, and our founders recognised that as women as well as migrants, their experiences were specific and different.
An advice, information and advocacy service was established to inform women of their rights and enable them to access services in a culturally, linguistically and gender specific setting.
Over time, LAWRS has expanded its services to provide a holistic, wide-ranged approach in how we assist women to develop.
Our Mission
Our mission is to pursue equal rights and social justice for all Latin American women and migrant women in the UK.
Our values
- We are a feminist organisation and implement feminist principles to all our work.
- We uphold human rights for all migrant and refugee women and advocate for a system where they are able to fully exercise their fundamental human rights.
- We uphold equality and social justice and will oppose all forms of discrimination both in society and our workplace.
- We acknowledge/recognise that some women are more affected than others by virtue of being at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination and work to counteract this.
- We support women, reaching out to those who are more disadvantaged including survivors of Violence Against Women and Girls.
- We want women’s voices to be heard and guide our work with their priorities and needs.
- We deliver consistently high-quality work, which is based on sound evidence.
- We believe in collaboration and partnerships and value openness and transparency.
Our team and trustees
LAWRS’ team and Board of Trustees is formed of Latin American women with a variety of skills sharing a feminist perspective, committed to improving the lives of migrant women in the UK.
The Board, chosen every year by our members, is responsible for overall governance, determining LAWRS’ strategic direction, maintaining a long-term overview of the organization and ensuring LAWRS’ financial health and compliance with legal obligations.
LAWRS email
Policy and Communications team
Dolores – Head of Policy & Public Affairs
dolores@lawrs.org.uk
Monserrat – VAWG
monserrat@lawrs.org.uk
Carolina – Labour Exploitation
carolinac@lawrs.org.uk
Volunteers Coordinator
Betsy
volunteers@lawrs.org.uk
Violence Against Women and Girls team
Counselling team
Closed for external referrals
Open for self referrals: counsellingreferrals@lawrs.org.uk
Our Impact
Over 1,000 women use our services every year, benefiting from practical and emotional support, learning new skills and improving their own opportunities. We strive to provide essential tools for women to empower themselves in their pursuit of personal and social change.