Asylum Services & Knowledge

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Asylum Services & Knowledge Asylum Services & Knowledge (ASK) is the operating name of Justice Centre Hong Kong Limited.

We help refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants access social welfare and psychological support, as well as legal assistance with their protection claims under Hong Kong law and within the Hong Kong Government-designed administrative and appeal procedures. We believe that supporting diverse communities help enhance social cohesion and inclusiveness in Hong Kong SAR and benefits the whole society.

Hong Kong barristers care!  We were pleased to find a packed room at the interdisciplinary training session on trauma-in...
14/10/2026

Hong Kong barristers care! 

 We were pleased to find a packed room at the interdisciplinary training session on trauma-informed lawyering organised by the Hong Kong Bar Association on 24 September.  

Speaking alongside Tim Parker SC of Temple Chambers and refugee expert Joseph B**g, our Senior Advisor / Clinical Psychologist Dr Steven Livingstone discussed trauma across the migration journey and how it may manifest in the course of the lawyer-client relationship; while our Legal Director Kaavya Viswanathan shared insights from ASK’s legal team and our recently launched practice resource, Trust, Trauma & the Law. 

Focused on representing people seeking non-refoulement protection, the training considered practical strategies for building trust, improving client engagement and strengthening legal representation. It also highlighted the value of learning across disciplines and from lived experience in promoting fairer and more effective access to justice. 

 Trauma-informed practice is an essential part of understanding the people we represent and ensuring that legal systems respond to them with care and fairness. 

 The Discussion Paper and Practice Guidelines were co-produced by ASK and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, alongside Hong Kong’s refugee communities. Find our Discussion Paper Trust, Trauma & the Law and accompanying Practice Guidelines at the link in our bio.

 

13/10/2026

At ASK, we are committed to empowering people to create change. And so we are proud to share details of the Voices of Women conference, an upcoming community event led by Humanity Seekers, a refugee-led initiative facilitated by ASK, along with Shreya Ram, an alumni of one of ASK's educational programs.

On 17 October at Eaton HK, women from Hong Kong’s refugee and asylum-seeking community will take the stage and share their stories in a TEDx-style event - building confidence, strengthening their public-speaking skills, and creating space for the wider community to listen and learn.

What makes this event particularly meaningful to us is how it came together. Shreya first connected with ASK in 2024 through a service project at her school. She has since taken that experience forward, mobilizing a group of her peers and working directly with Humanity Seekers to create something of her own in support of people seeking asylum in our city.

That is exactly the kind of ripple effect we hope our student programmes can create: young people moving from learning about displacement and forced migration to taking initiative, building relationships and acting alongside the community.

Voices of Women Conference
📆Saturday, 17 October 2026
⏰12-2pm
📍Eaton Hotel, 380 Nathan Road, Jordan, Kowloon
🎟️Reserve your seat here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScouatyvi6mVTwmGXOCLqZHmqPsAVqhNJSDk0tUHADz0OHjdg/viewform

Having a roof over our heads is something we often take for granted. But for people seeking asylum, sleeping rough is an...
29/09/2026

Having a roof over our heads is something we often take for granted. But for people seeking asylum, sleeping rough is an all-too-common experience.

When Kelvin* approached us, he had been sleeping in Kowloon Park for several days without reprieve from the extreme summer heat. He was forced out of his room after his landlord was prompted by the new Basic Housing Units Ordinance to repossess the subdivided flat. Without sufficient funds for a housing deposit, Kelvin struggled to secure new accommodation.

Our Welfare team worked with Kelvin to communicate his situation to the government contracted social service provider, International Social Services (ISS). With the joint effort, we supported Kelvin to successfully negotiate a lower deposit amount, and mobilised cross-agency funding to make up the shortfall. This meant that Kelvin could sign the new rental agreement and move into his new unit within days.

In Hong Kong, asylum seekers are legally prohibited from working and receive a monthly housing stipend of HKD1.5K. This coupled with the high-cost housing market mean that many people face significant housing precarity. In the last year, we intervened to prevent or resolve homelessness for 33 people, many of whom were newly arrived families or single mothers with children.

This matters a great deal! When you are in a new place, surrounded by a language and culture that is strange to you, having a safe place to rest is the first step towards stability. Follow us to learn more and support our work today: https://www.ask.org.hk/donate

*Not his real name.

Who is a “refugee”? Why do people flee their homes? What can you do to help? On Saturday 19 September, Asylum Services &...
24/09/2026

Who is a “refugee”? Why do people flee their homes? What can you do to help?

On Saturday 19 September, Asylum Services & Knowledge hosted a booth at the Scout Association's 115th Anniversary Community Carer's Carnival at CNEC Christian College. Through a series of games, our Student Ambassadors highlighted the challenges people face when they are forced to flee their home, helping to reshape public understanding around forced migration.

Blending legal education, community service, and personal development, our student programmes offer more than classroom knowledge – they are a launchpad for young people who want to make a difference!

Find out more and register your interest here: https://www.ask.org.hk/young-advocates

This Mid-Autumn, Share More Than Mooncakes 🏮 Mid-Autumn brings us together to share mooncakes, meals and moments with th...
21/09/2026

This Mid-Autumn, Share More Than Mooncakes 🏮
 
Mid-Autumn brings us together to share mooncakes, meals and moments with the people we love. This year, we can extend that spirit of sharing to people seeking safety and belonging in Hong Kong.

Dalia* fled violence in her home country because of her sexual orientation and experienced deep social isolation after arriving in Hong Kong. Through Asylum Services & Knowledge’s Cooking for Wellness Programme, cooking alongside others helped her build friendships, regain confidence and develop new skills. She later reached out for further support with legal and medical needs.

Since 2007, Asylum Services & Knowledge has supported refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants in Hong Kong with legal, practical and social support. Help us reach HKD 50,000 this Mid-Autumn so more people can rebuild with dignity, safety and belonging.

Give with heart 💓. Your donation can help Asylum Services & Knowledge continue supporting people as they rebuild their lives in Hong Kong.

Donate now: https://give.asia/campaign/this-mid-autumn-share-more-than-mooncakes?ee=8805da04b6c149e445c61c9e8aec2599 #/story
 
 *Dalia is a pseudonym used to protect her privacy.

Last week, Asylum Services & Knowledge (ASK) and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSFK) co-hosted a session on Best Pract...
10/09/2026

Last week, Asylum Services & Knowledge (ASK) and Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer (HSFK) co-hosted a session on Best Practices for Trauma-Informed Lawyering. The session brought together lawyers, mental health professionals and community members, and marked the launch of a new discussion paper prepared by ASK and HSFK — Trust, Trauma and the Law: Community Voices on Refugee Lawyering in Hong Kong as well as the accompanying Community-Informed Practice Guidelines for Trauma-Informed Refugee Lawyering.

The resources are the product of an extensive research process developed in partnership with refugees in Hong Kong. Our aim was to listen carefully to what people told us about their experiences with legal services, and translate those experiences into practical guidance that lawyers can use to improve the quality of representation.

The panel discussion explored how trauma can affect memory, communication and disclosure; how lawyers can build trust while maintaining professional boundaries; and the practical changes that can help clients participate more fully in their legal cases. We extend a special thank you to Jay*, an expert advisor throughout the research process, who spoke candidly about his own experiences navigating Hong Kong’s protection system. His contribution represents the premise on which this entire project was built — that people with lived experience should have a meaningful role in shaping the services and systems that affect them.

Read Trust, Trauma and the Law and download the Community-Informed Practice Guidelines following the link in our bio.

*Not his real name.

ASK is pleased to be a supporting organization of ASK4ACTION, a conference focusing on empowering women in the asylum-se...
28/08/2026

ASK is pleased to be a supporting organization of ASK4ACTION, a conference focusing on empowering women in the asylum-seeking community through the power of public speaking on October 17.

Over the past several months, the conference has worked closely with participants to develop skills in speech writing, body language, facial expression, vocal projection and confident communication. Public speaking is an important tool that can empower women to share their stories, champion the causes they care about, and create meaningful change in their communities.

Please join this event as we celebrate dedication, growth and achievements of these remarkable women on October 17!

Please RSVP via this link: https://forms.gle/SG33HtzGYG1oxXTx9, or the link in our bio.

We are thrilled to announce that we have officially moved! 📍Our office is now located in Austin Tower, 22-26 Austin Aven...
05/08/2026

We are thrilled to announce that we have officially moved!

📍Our office is now located in Austin Tower, 22-26 Austin Avenue, Tsim Sha Tsui, just a 6 minute walk from Jordan MTR station.

🧭If you need any guidance on how to reach our new office, please refer to the PDF or video directions guide at the bottom of our website.

See you at our new office! 👋

We are excited to announce that we have rebranded from Justice Centre Hong Kong to Asylum Services and Knowledge! This n...
31/07/2026

We are excited to announce that we have rebranded from Justice Centre Hong Kong to Asylum Services and Knowledge! 

This new name better reflects who we are and what we do – providing legal and psychosocial support to refugees and asylum seekers in Hong Kong, enabling them to rebuild their lives with dignity.  We support refugee-led community development, so that the people we serve can shape the support they receive.  And we invest in Hong Kong itself – by training local lawyers and students, building professional capacity, and working constructively with government bodies and community partners to promote informed, efficient and compassionate systems of support. Each year, this work helps hundreds of people move from displacement, destitution and trauma towards stability, agency and protection. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and involvement with our work, and we look forward to continuing our work under our new name.

Address

Unit 1004 10/F, Austin Tower, 22-26 Austin Avenue, Kowloon
Tsim Sha Tsui

Opening Hours

Monday 09:30 - 18:00
Tuesday 09:30 - 18:00
Wednesday 09:30 - 18:00
Thursday 09:30 - 18:00
Friday 09:30 - 18:00

Telephone

+85231097359

Website

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