ADVOCACY

RATIFICATION OF THE INSTANBUL CONVENTION

The Greek Parliament has finally ratified the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (Istanbul Convention), and revised the relevant Greek law provisions. The Istanbul Convention is the first complete framework for combating gender violence, and a very important step towards the Council of Europe’s efforts to ensure […]

Τimeline of the major events since the implementation of the EU-Turkey Deal

Since January 2015, more than 1 million people fleeing war, persecution and poverty entered or passed through Greece in search of safety and a better life, and more than 1,200 were reported dead or missing. During the latter part of 2015 and early 2016, selective and arbitrary admission policies were put in place by various European […]

Joint Press Conference: Two years after the EU-Turkey Deal

To mark the occasion of the second anniversary of the EU-Turkey Joint Statement (Deal, in essence), yesterday we held, along with other NGOs, a joint press conference titled: “Two years after the EU-Turkey Deal: a humanitarian tragedy for refugees and asylum seekers”. The press conference was hosted at the Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers […]

Two years after the EU-Turkey Deal: a humanitarian tragedy for refugees and asylum seekers

Athens, 16 March 2018. Two years following the implementation of the EU-Turkey Deal, many refugees and asylum seekers continue to be trapped in the Greek islands, deprived of their basic human rights and access to international protection. On this second anniversary, and whilst legal appeals against the geographical limitation of asylum-seekers to the islands are […]

Ministry of Labor’s circular on the return of AMΚA to beneficiaries of international protection and asylum seekers

The recent issue of the Ministry of Labor’s circular on the return of ΑΜΚΑ to beneficiaries of international protection and asylum seekers seems to put an end to the inconvenience that these people still suffer in some services despite the fact that they the legal requirements for granting ΑΜΚΑ. Please note that 25 organizations, including […]

NETWORK FOR THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN ON THE MOVE ANNUAL REPORT

The Network’s Report for its first year of operation (January 2017 – January 2018) includes the main issues raised by its members, including SolidarityNow, in the context of information exchange, development of joint actions / initiatives and contribution of the Network in the work of the Ombudsman’s mechanism to monitor the situation of children on […]

Greece: Urgent Need to Move Asylum Seekers from Islands

As Winter Begins, Accelerate Transfers, End Containment Policy Athens, December 21, 2017. More than 13,500 asylum seekers remain trapped on the Greek islands in most deplorable conditions as winter begins today, December 21st, SolidarityNow states. Greece, with support from its EU partners, should urgently transfer thousands of asylum seekers to the Greek mainland and provide […]

Concerns for hundreds of unaccompanied children sleeping rough in Greece this winter

NGOs launch roadmap for handover of refugee response to Greek Government More than 2,000 unaccompanied children are on the waiting list for safe shelters in Greece, according to a new report by 15 organisations. The chronic shortage of accommodation for children is just one of the gaps in services that is worsening as the Greek Government […]