Somalis in Copenhagen

Somalis-cover-Copenhaneg_20141016_Layout 1 2014.10.16. 15:15 Page 1 AT HOME IN EUROPE SOMALIS SOMALIS IN Minority communities – whether Muslim, migrant or Roma – continue to come under COPENHAGEN intense scrutiny in Europe today. This complex situation presents Europe with one its greatest challenges: how to ensure equal rights in an environment of rapidly expanding diversity. IN COPENHAGEN At Home in Europe, part of the Open Society Initiative for Europe, Open Society Foundations, is a research and advocacy initiative which works to advance equality and social justice for minority and marginalised groups excluded from the mainstream of civil, political, economic, and, cultural life in Western Europe. Somalis in European Cities Muslims in EU Cities was the project’s first comparative research series which examined the position of Muslims in 11 cities in the European Union. Somalis in European cities follows from the findings emerging from the Muslims in EU Cities reports and offers the experiences and challenges faced by Somalis across seven cities in Europe. The research aims to capture the everyday, lived experiences as well as the type and degree of engagement policymakers have initiated with their Somali and minority constituents. 01 somalis-COPENHAGENinc-publish-2014-0930_publish.qxd 2014.10.16. 15:14 Page 1 Somalis in Copenhagen At Home in Europe 01 somalis-COPENHAGENinc-publish-2014-0930_publish.qxd 2014.10.16. 15:14 Page 2 ©2014 Open Society Foundations This publication is available as a pdf on the Open Society Foundations website under a Creative Commons license that allows copying and distributing the publication, only in its entirety, as long as it is attributed to the Open Society Foundations and used for noncommercial educational or public policy purposes. Photographs may not be used separately from the publication. ISBN: 978-1-940983-05-9 Published by OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS 224 West 57th Street New York NY10019 United States For more information contact: AT HOME IN EUROPE OPEN SOCIETY INITIATIVE FOR EUROPE Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, UK Website www.opensocietyfoundations.org/projects/home-europe Layout by Q.E.D. Publishing Printed in Hungary Printed on CyclusOffset paper produced from 100% recycled fibres. Open Society Foundations Mission Statement The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. Working with local communities in more than 100 countries, the Open Society Foundations support justice and human rights, freedom of expression, and access to public health and education. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This city report was prepared as part of a series of reports titled Somalis in European Cities. The series focuses on seven cities in Europe with a Somali origin population. The cities chosen, and within them specific neighbourhoods, are Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Leicester, London, Malmö, and Oslo. The reports have been prepared by At Home in Europe, part of the Open Society Initiative for Europe, Open Society Foundations and in cooperation with local/national based experts. The field work and analysis for the Somalis in Copenhagen report was headed by Helle Stenum and Abdulkadir Osman Farah. We wish to thank both for their work and commitment to the project. They were supported by Ubah Jama, Mie Hesselager Olsen, Taia Nysted Schjøtt, Kristine Raunkjær, Clara Anahí Friis-Rasmussen, Didde Bjørn, Line Jacobsen, Jacob Slaatto, Anne Skjødt Møller, Sanne Melgaard Wagner, Helle Hye Secher Marcussen, Hawo Idris Haji Hassan, Ida Jøker Krogh, who were involved in organising, translating, transcribing and drafting. We sincerely thank all who directly participated in interviews and focus groups. Similarly we are grateful to the number of Somali associations and cultural centers that were instrumental in facilitating interviews and focus group sessions. An advisory board for the research was convened with a mandate to provide expert advice and input into all stages of the research and analysis. We would like to thank the following individuals: Said Hussain, Secretary-General of the Somali Diaspora Organisation Eman Osman, project manager at Indvandrer Kvindecenteret (Immigrant Women’s Centre) Many individuals offered their time and insight for which we are very grateful. We would like to mention a few who provided a special contribution to our research process: Abdirisak Omar, social worker, Lejerbo; Hassan Ibrahim Daher, volunteer and student; Eline Feldman, consultant, Employment and Integration Administration, Copenhagen City; Fatuma Ali, psychiatrist; Henrik T. Andersen, consultant, Danish Ministry of Children, Gender Equality, Integration and Social Affairs; Claude Alexandre Vincent and Bent Rener Andersen, Consultants, Finance Administration, Copenhagen City; Laurie Fulton, former US Ambassador to Denmark; Rufus Gifford, US Ambassador to Denmark; and Judy McGinley, Political Officer, US Embassy in Denmark. In April 2014, the Open Society Foundations held a closed roundtable meeting in Copenhagen inviting critique and commentary on the draft report. We are grateful to AT HOME IN EUROPE 5 SOMALIS IN COPENHAGEN the many participants who generously offered their time and expertise. These included representatives of Somali and other minority groups, civil society organisations, city officials, and relevant experts. A special thanks to Maja Lykke Stenum and Pia Justesen who helped organise and facilitate a successful round table. At Home in Europe has final responsibility for the content of the report, including any errors or misrepresentations. Open Society Initiative For Europe Team (At Home in Europe) Nazia Hussain Director Hélène Irving Program Coordinator Klaus Dik Nielsen Advocacy Officer Andrea Gurubi Watterson Program Officer Csilla Tóth Program Assistant Tufyal Choudhury Sen. Policy Consultant 6 OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS 2014 PREFACE PREFACE A central belief of the Open Society Foundations is that all people in an open society count equally and should enjoy equal opportunities. The Open Society Foundations work day-to-day with civil society organizations across Europe to respond to discrimination, prejudice and injustice; to understand the emergence of new and sometimes worrying political phenomena; to inform better practices in policing and security; to connect those seeking justice and equality with policymakers and institutions; to promote inclusion for Europe’s minorities; to support a critical and informed discourse among nongovernmental actors; and to empower grassroots organizations to seek change for themselves, unique to their own local context. At Home in Europe, part of the Open Society Initiative for Europe, Open Society Foundations, is a research and advocacy initiative which works to advance equality and social justice for groups excluded from the mainstream of civil, political, economic, and, cultural life in Western Europe. It places a high priority on local community and city level practices that mitigate discrimination and seek to ensure access to equal opportunities for all. At Home in Europe engages with policymakers, civil society organisations, and communities at the local, national and international level to improve the social inclusion of Europe’s diverse minority and marginalised communities in different ways. Minority communities – whether Muslim, migrant or Roma – continue to come under intense scrutiny in Europe today. This complex situation presents Europe with one its greatest challenges: how to ensure equal rights in an environment of rapidly expanding diversity. The Somali community is one such emerging minority group on whom a lack of precise data hampers the possibility of achieving meaningful integration. People of Somali origin have lived in parts of Europe for many generations but in the past 15 years their numbers have increased. There are no accurate figures for the number of Somalis in Europe but on the whole, whilst small in absolute numbers, they are among one of the continent’s largest refugee groups and a growing minority population. Europe’s Somalis can be divided into three broad categories: people of Somali origin born in Europe, Somali refugees and asylum seekers (who came directly from Somalia or neighbouring countries largely as a result of conflict) and Somalis who migrated to a country in Europe from elsewhere in Europe, such as from Sweden to the UK for example. They are a diverse and vibrant community who suffer from negative and biased media representation and stereotyping. There is a limited understanding on the specific needs of this community and they are in the category of groups that experience significant inequalities in accessing education, employment, health, and housing with resulting poor outcomes. Somali community groups are very present in certain countries in Europe but their engagement with policymakers and in local and national bodies can be relatively limited. AT HOME IN EUROPE 7 SOMALIS IN COPENHAGEN The comparative research series ‘Somalis in European Cities’ examines city and municipal policies that have actively sought to understand Somali origin communities and their specific needs. The research aims to capture the everyday, lived experiences as well as the type and degree of engagement policymakers have initiated with their Somali and minority constituents. An underlying theme is how Somali communities have themselves actively participated in tackling discrimination and whether the needs of specific groups warrant

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