Glasgow refugee 'stripped of dignity' after fleeing home before starting new life in UK

A former asylum seeker who has made a life for herself in Glasgow has shared her difficult experience gaining refugee status after being forced out of her native Pakistan.

Sadia Sikandar was studying Fine Arts at Punjab University, and exhibited her work across the globe before she had no choice but to seek asylum in the UK in 2018.

She then faced a six-year battle to get her refugee status. During this time, she was made homeless and banned from working in the arts.

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Sadia said: "In my home country I had a job, a car and a home, but I lacked freedom and peace of mind. My life was in danger, which is something people need to understand.

"Asylum seekers are often viewed as though we come from impoverished or jobless backgrounds, but in reality, I had a very good status in Pakistan. I came here because my life was at risk.

"For those of us who seek asylum, it often means going from having everything to having nothing. This experience strips away our dignity, honour and self-respect.

"I submitted a new asylum application, which was also initially rejected, but was eventually granted on appeal. The entire process took six long years."

After being granted leave to remain in the UK, Sadia now lives in Glasgow and is currently teaching at GoMA. "Although I have received refugee status, my struggle and determination to improve the asylum system will continue.", she added.

The artist has now launched a photography series bringing to light the UK's "inhumane" asylum system. The award-winning photographer has worked with a group of refugees in North East England alongside campaign group Asylum Matters to create the series, entitled Asylum: A Long and Painful Process.

Members of the campaign and community group Walking With, based in North Tyneside, England, feature in the series of images and personal narratives that will be displayed at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, in Gateshead. The exhibition aims to 'cut through misinformation and show the British public how truly devastating life in the asylum system can be'.

Opening up on her work, Sadia said: "We chose a beach to symbolise the transitional state many asylum seekers experience. It is a space between the safety of land and the dangers of the open sea, much like the limbo they face in the asylum process.

"They find themselves in a place of uncertainty – like being stranded on a shore, waiting to move and fearing being pulled back. The beach represents the endless waiting period they endure in hotels, temporary accommodation and camps.

"The smoke represents the destruction that forces asylum seekers to flee their homes, the aftermath of war, persecution, or disaster.

"Smoke also symbolises survival and resilience; where there is smoke, there is often fire – a core symbol of human survival. Together, the beach and smoke create a powerful contrast between hope and despair, freedom and entrapment."

Describing the message behind the photographs and their campaign, Walking With operations manager Clare Campbell said: "The idea for this work was borne of the frustration, helplessness and despair felt by so many of our asylum seekers. They feel forced to leave their homes, jobs and sometimes families to escape torture, persecution and war.

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"They arrive here hoping for a safer, better life. In the event, many then find themselves crushed by our asylum process. They become trapped in a world of poverty with no dignity and no chance to use their many skills as they wait – often for many years – for a Home Office decision on their asylum claim.

"All too often their mental health gives way before that decision is made. Stress, fear and uncertainty are part and parcel of our system of asylum. The experiences of so many seeking sanctuary here can leave us in no doubt – our asylum system is inhumane and must be changed."

The photographs will be displayed in We All Came Here From Somewhere, a thoughtful showcase of artwork, objects and stories at Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art up until 9 February 2025.

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