Asylum seekers and refugees usually have very little power when they take their cases to court.  It’s usually the lawyers, judges or helpers supporting them that make decisions for them.

This process becomes harder if they have very little or no English skills.

But according to Interviewee: Dr Laura Smith-Khan, Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Technology Sydney,  this can be turned around.  One important way is through her work which shows  how to include the voice of minority groups in legal settings.

She says that one of the most powerful way in making the process more equitable for refugees and asylum seekers is to change the language or use of words,  to adapt to their needs and real stories. 

Reporter/Producer: Annamarie Reyes