The Declaration of Human Rights was passed three decades ago, but Oxford charity Refugee Resource is still battling to give people their basic right to work. DEBBIE WAITE reports Tomorrow, most of us will go about our business blissfully unaware that it is International Human Rights Day.

Living in the UK, we take it for granted that we have "the right to life, liberty and nationality, to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, to work, to be educated and to take part in government."

But although Article 23 of the Declaration of Human Rights clearly states that "everyone has the right to work", many asylum seekers in the UK and here in Oxford do not have this right.

Amanda Webb-Johnson, director of the charity Refugee Resource in East Oxford, is aware there is a stereotype surrounding asylum seekers and refugees as people who do not want to work. But she wants to set the record straight.

She said: "In 2002, the Government decided asylum seekers should no longer be allowed to work, even if they had been waiting more than six months for a decision on their asylum claim.

"Although in 2005 a concession was made that people who had been waiting for a decision for a year could apply for permission to work, this is very difficult to obtain.

"There are those whose asylum claims have been refused but cannot be returned to their country due to safety reasons, for example Zimbabweans. They, too, are often denied permission to work."

She added: "Even when permission to work is granted, refugees face many obstacles to getting jobs, such as their level of English language skills, lack of UK work experience and not having references.

"Some employers also won't accept foreign qualifications and don't understand the confusing paperwork that gives people permission to work."

In Oxford, refugees and the few asylum seekers who do have permission to work, go to Refugee Resource to get one-to-one help with their job search.

Employment advisers help them with CVs, job applications and interview practice.

The charity also refers clients to training courses, provides a bursary fund and sets up voluntary work placements to enable refugees to get UK-based work experience and a reference.

Ms Webb-Johnson said: "In our experience of running an employment service for six years, we have been very impressed with the level of motivation and eagerness to work demonstrated by the refugees and asylum seekers we have worked with.

"Many feel extremely frustrated when forced to be dependent on state support. It hurts their dignity, and can be deeply demoralising. For those who have been here eight or 10 years without permission to work, they feel the pressure of time lost. What they want is to provide for themselves and to contribute to this society."

Refugee Resource client Micheline Pandanzyla, 23, fled the military regime in Conga in 2002, aged just 18.

She dreamed of becoming a nurse, but because she arrived in Britain in 2002, she is prevented from working and supporting her daughter.

She said: "It has been five years since the Home Office denied me the right to work and still there is no news."

Micheline has continued her studies and learned English and she also volunteers at the Sure Start children's centre in Rose Hill.

She said: "I would love to train as a nurse and work in the NHS, but at the moment, working with children voluntarily is all I can do. I want to earn my own money, pay taxes and support my daughter. Hopefully I will not be waiting for a decision for another five years."

Alauden Altohamy, 42, was a qualified accountant in his native Sudan, but fled during the political troubles of 2006.

He now works in factories but dreams of becoming an accountant in Oxford.

He said: "I trained as an accountant and worked for 10 years in a Sudanese bank before starting my own business. I am so grateful to the UK for giving me a safe home and I want to give something back by using these skills.

"Some employers want me to improve my English even more. I am doing this, and have taken other courses to make myself even more employable, but even though I am working in factories to support myself in the meantime, and to get references, I have been told I am too highly qualified by some employers . It is difficult to win in this situation."

Gulyalet Nurmammaedov, 48, was a highly-qualified linguistics teacher in her native Turkmenistan, but despite job hunting both here in Oxford and further afield in London, she has been able to get only voluntary work.

Mrs Nurmammaedov explained: "My husband and I came to Oxford in 2003 after political problems broke out in our home country.

"We came to Oxford because our son and daughter were studying here and we wanted to be near them.

"Back home, I was a linguistics teacher and taught in both Turkish and my mother tongue Turkmen. I came here as a refugee and was granted indefinite leave to stay, but even though I am looking for jobs ranging from a teaching assistant to a librarian, I have not been able to get paid work.

"I recently studied for a qualification to be a teaching assistant, but even though I have had interviews, I have not got a job yet."

She added: "Rather than not work at all, I work as a volunteer in Oxfam's charity shop in Headington. I hope to get a job teaching soon though, because I feel I have a lot to offer."

Mrs Nurmammaedov is pictured below at the charity shop in Headington and, right, with her students in Turkmenistan.

Mohammad Noori, 37, was a successful businessman in Afghanistan, but in 1998, his assets were seized by the Taliban and he fled to Britain.

He now lives in Headington and is a packer at Didcot's Tesco Distribution Centre.

He said: "I am very grateful for this job and for my new home in Oxford, but I miss running my own business.

"The business I had was handed down to me by my father after his death and one day, I hope to return and rebuild it."