Global law firm DLA Piper has announced the launch of the Know Your Rights Project, a first of its kind 12-week legal empowerment program for 25 young asylum seekers and refugees in the Netherlands. The Know Your Rights Project has been collectively designed and will be collectively implemented by four core project partners including New Dutch Connections, Leiden Law School, Pro Bono Connect (a project of Het Nederlands Juristen Comité voor de Mensenrechten) and DLA Piper.

The program engages 25 selected asylum seekers and refugees in an educational course covering a variety of topics, including immigration and asylum, education, employment and sports. Each session will seek to empower the students to navigate and make a success of their life in the Netherlands or their next destination. Each student will be allocated one mentor (a lawyer) and one buddy (a law student) who will support them throughout the program and help them to use the law and legal skills to achieve their personal goals over the 12 week program. The program starts on the 29th of September.

DLA Piper has hired Ous Haidar to project manage the program. Ous is a Syrian lawyer specialising in International Investment and Tax Law. Since arriving in the Netherlands three years ago after traveling here from Syria via Turkey (following the outbreak of the war), he has received an LL.M from Erasmus University School of Law. Since coming to the Netherlands Ous has also attended the Summer School at Leiden Law School on Advanced Issues in International Tax Law. He has also made excellent progress in learning Dutch.

Ous Haidar: "It is an amazing and a satisfying feeling to contribute to the good of this world. The Know Your Rights Project is going to provide opportunities to 25 newcomers to build their lives in the Netherlands. I cannot wait to see the benefits this project will reap."