About us

The Committee for Safe Shelters in Amsterdam (CVOA) was formed by Amsterdam residents who want to see Omari’s dream realised in their city: a separately located Amsterdam asylum seekers’ centre where, as in many places in Germany, vulnerable categories of refugees can find the safety to which they are entitled.

The Committee hopes to achieve its goal by building in‑depth expertise on the situation in the Netherlands and across Europe, and by using that knowledge in discussions with the many parties involved (such as the Amsterdam City Council and municipal executive, the COA, government bodies and NGOs in Germany, Dutch parliamentarians, refugees, volunteers, and rainbow organisations including COC Netherlands, COC Amsterdam, and the LGBT Asylum Support Foundation).

Through its work, the Committee aims to show that the city of Amsterdam, a leading rainbow city with a particular commitment to vulnerable groups, has both a responsibility and an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to safer living arrangements for vulnerable refugees, in Amsterdam and elsewhere.

The Committee can be contacted at info@cvoa.nl.