Category: ΣΥΝΗΓΟΡΙΑ

Organisations in Greece, local and international health bodies warn: “discrimination does not protect against COVID-19”

Posted on Friday July 17th, 2020

Following the letter sent to the Greek authorities in early July, these organisations which work with refugees and immigrants in Greece would like to express their concern and opposition to the decision of the government to once again impose confinement measures on all the accommodation facilities for asylum-seekers in Greece, in the general context of preventing the emergence and spread of cases of the coronavirus COVID-19.

Although restrictions on free movement aimed at the protection of public health can be necessary and justified, these organisations argue that they should nevertheless be based on scientific evidence, and that they should not be imposed on the basis of arbitrary criteria which reflect social discrimination, considering the fact that restrictions on movement have been lifted for other residents of the country. Public health reasons can in no way be invoked in order to take measures restricting free movement for residents in the relevant accommodation facilities, as they would not be implemented on the basis of any scientific reasoning. In fact, in some cases the measures would violate the EU directive on the standards for the reception of applicants for international protection (2013/33 article 8 on detention).

In particular, as highlighted in communiques and guidelines from international organisations, academia and civil society organisations – some of which are listed at the end of this statement – there is no evidence that isolating entire accommodation facilities or the applying restrictive measures on movement will actually affect the transmission of the virus in accommodation facilities for asylum-seekers and immigrants, or result in additional protective effects for the general population, other than those achieved by conventional containment and protection measures which apply to the population as a whole. Therefore, a sensible strategy for the prevention of the spreading of COVID-19 and the protection of the refugee population should focus on the improvement of precarious housing conditions, which make social distancing impossible in the overcrowded accommodation centres. To date, however, the efforts made to this effect have been insufficient. In fact, many organisations which work in centres where measures limiting free movement have been applied, have identified an increase in psychological pressure and stress which can lead to the general deterioration of the health of asylum-seekers. Moreover, movement restrictions impede asylum-seekers’ access to vital services (medical, legal etc.) which are located outside of the camps where they reside.

According to the signatories of this statement, the government should rigorously evaluate any public health policies it adopts in light of the principles of necessity, proportionality and of respect with the principle of non-discrimination, and the government should refrain from keeping in place interim measures by making unreasonable appeals to pressing needs. Equally, measures should be implemented which actually protect the health of the refugee population and as a result the population of the country as whole, namely:

-Decongestion of overcrowded facilities

-Proper and flexible use of available EU funds for the improvement of living conditions with the utmost transparency

-Inclusion in primary health care of all immigrant populations, including un-registered asylum-seekers and those in “limbo”

-Secure the provision of water, disinfection and health services (WASH)

-Distribution of personal hygiene items

-Provision of comprehensive and comprehensible information to refugee communities

-Promote the public understanding of public health issues, especially in relation to accommodation of the immigrant population.

There has to be a more general understanding that there can be no public health without the protection of the health of refugees and immigrants. The demonisation of the refugee population which has been observed lately – especially at a time when efforts should be made for their smooth integration into the social fabric and labour market of the country – does not defend the real interests of citizens and irreparably harms the democratic principles of the country.

World Health Organisation

“The right to COVID-19 preparedness, prevention and control for refugees and migrants should be exercised through non-discriminatory, child- and gender- sensitive comprehensive laws and national policies and practices. The health conditions experienced by refugees and migrants, including those with COVID-19 infections, should not be used as an excuse for imposing arbitrary restrictions, stigmatization, detention, deportation and other forms of discriminatory practices.” (Excerpt from WHO interim guidance, 17 April 2020).

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

“Whilst there is no evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 transmission is higher amongst migrants and refugees, environmental factors such as overcrowding in reception and detention centres may increase their exposure to the disease. Outbreaks in reception and detention centres can also spread quickly in the absence of adequate prevention measures.”

“There is no evidence that quarantining whole camps effectively limits transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in settings of reception and detention, or provides any additional protective effects for the general population, outside those that could be achieved by conventional containment and protection measures.” (Excerpts from Technical Report, 15 June 2020)

Médecins Sans Frontières

“The extension of the measures restricting the movement of asylum-seekers who live in accommodation centres will further reduce their already limited access to basic services and medical care and, in the current phase of the COVID-19 epidemic, it cannot be justified from a public health perspective. So far, there have been no confirmed cases in any of the island reception facilities, a fact which means that their population is not a danger. On the contrary, it is in danger. This kind of discrimination stigmatises and marginalises refugees, asylum-seekers and immigrants, it is not justified from a public health perspective and it increases the vulnerability of this population in the face of the epidemic. Measures for public health should above all protect people, especially those in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and patients with chronic diseases. They should not trap them in overcrowded camps with limited access to water and toilets, where it is clearly impossible to implement prevention and protection measures for the COVID-19 virus. Médecins Sans Frontières continues to demand the transfer of people belonging to vulnerable groups (the elderly, people with chronic diseases) away from the reception centres to safe accommodation, where they can apply public health protection measures.”

Médecins du Monde

“Despite the widespread perception that there is a link between migrating populations and the introduction or spread of infectious diseases, there is no systematic correlation between the two. In “closed populations”, such as Reception and Identification Centres (RICs) or accommodation facilities, the virus can be transmitted very quickly relative to the rest of the population. This is due to concentration and bad health conditions and further highlights the need for decongestion and the transfer of those people to alternative forms of accommodation.”

Ilias Kondilis, Associate Professor ΠΦΥ (Primary Health Care) – Public Health, and Alexis Benos, professor of Health, Social and ΠΦΥ – Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Services Research, Faculty of Medicine Α.Π.Θ (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki):

“The ban on movement in reception centres and accommodation facilities for refugees, immigrants and asylum-seekers for a total of 125 days during the pandemic (the corresponding ban in the general population lasted 43 days) and its continuous extension without any scientific evidence is not an appropriate means for controlling the COVID-19 epidemic. On the contrary, it is a practice which inevitably increases the stigma, the marginalisation and isolation of those already heavily vulnerable refugee populations in our country, at the same time further increasing the risks of mass spread of the COVID-19 virus to those incarcerated populations. The fundamental means, on an individual level, for the prevention of COVID-19, remain the respect of hygiene rules and the observance of social distancing, by avoiding crowds. These basic rules of personal prevention are by nature impossible to comply with in RIC’s, due to the living conditions. The removal of unjustified movement restrictions in RICs, or their decongestion and the immediate relocation of the more vulnerable refugees/immigrants to safe facilities in the community are the only scientifically proven policies to guard against COVID-19, both as concerns the protection of refugee/immigrant populations and the protection of the general population”.

Demelza Haurat and Noor Rijnberg, doctors

“Let’s try to imagine what will be the psychological state of someone who lives under confinement, together with 17.000 other people, in temperatures of 33 degrees, in camps like Moria, where tensions are already high. The limiting of free movement exacerbates psychological discomfort, despair, and violence. We experience it every day in our clinic where we record an increase in cases of panic disorder, sexual and domestic violence”

The undersigned organisations:

Αctionaid Hellas
Amnesty International -Διεθνής Αμνηστία

Are you Syrious?

ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΗ-Κέντρο Πληροφόρησης και Τεκμηρίωσης για το Ρατσισμό, την Οικολογία, την Ειρήνη και τη Μη Βία

AΡΣΙΣ – Κοινωνική Οργάνωση Υποστήριξης Νέων

Γιατροί του Κόσμου – Ελλάδα

Defence for Children International – Eλλάδα

Δίκτυο για τα Δικαιώματα του Παιδιού

Ελληνικό Παρατηρητήριο των Συμφωνιών του Ελσίνκι

Ελληνικό Συμβούλιο για τους Πρόσφυγες

Εqual Rights Beyond Europe

Help Refugees

HIAS Ελλάδας

HumanRights360

ΙΑΤΡΙΚΗ ΠΑΡΕΜΒΑΣΗ- MEDIN

INTERSOS
Hellas

Κέντρο Ημέρας Βαβέλ

Legal Centre Lesvos

Mobile Info Team Thessaloniki

Οικολογικό Κίνημα Θεσσαλονίκης

Refugee Legal Support
SolidarityNow
Συμβίωση – Σχολή Πολιτικών Σπουδών στην Ελλάδα, Δίκτυο Συμβουλίου της Ευρωπης

Terre des hommes Hellas
Thalassa of Solidarity

Greece: Organisations share recommendations for the best use of EU funds for refugees

Posted on Tuesday July 14th, 2020
Alexandros Avramidis for SolidarityNow

Athens, 14 July 2020 – Four Civil Society Organisations operating in the field of migration in Greece, published today a policy brief with recommendations addressed to national authorities about the best use of EU funds for the integration of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the country.

Despite availability of funds, efforts to integrate refugees and migrants in Greece have been limited and fragmented so far and for the government which came to power a year ago, integration does not seem to be high on its agenda. Complex funding procedures, limited collaboration and coordination between stakeholders and often lack of political will, are some of the barriers to the social inclusion of third country nationals, which when combined with exclusionary policies and heated debates at the political level, frequently lead to racist behaviours and even violence against migrants, refugees and those who assist them.

The fast-approaching next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) -Europe’s seven-year spending plan- is an opportunity for Greece to improve its social policies for everyone and revisit its integration approach and strategy for third country nationals. It is an opportunity that the country cannot afford to miss, especially following the Covid-19 crisis which will have an extremely negative effect on societies, economies and vulnerable groups, if appropriate responses are not adopted.

The policy brief by SolidarityNow; Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity; the Greek Forum of Refugees and Terre des hommes Hellas, suggests ways to improve the management of funds and programmes while it also takes a deep look into the three main aspects of integration -education and vocational training; employability and housing- and recommends specific steps and actions for their enhancement. All recommendations are the outcome of discussions among numerous stakeholders in the field of migration, including Greek national and local authorities, EU institutions, civil society actors and international non-governmental organisations, during a conference that took place earlier this year.

The organisations urge Greek competent authorities to take into account the proposed suggestions when submitting their proposals to the European Commission for the next funding period, and use available EU funds to ensure social cohesion and create a more inclusive society for all.

Download the policy brief here.

Statement by Civil Society Organisations about the new NGO Registry of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum

Posted on Monday July 13th, 2020
(Ελληνικά) Image by Pexels from Pixabay

SolidarityNow together with 67 other organisations, released a statement to Greek officials urging them to reconsider a new legislation about the registration and certification of organisations active in the field of international protection, migration, asylum and social integration of third-country nationals, that introduces unnecessary and disproportional barriers on our work. We request that the government engages in constructive dialogue with civil society and protects the rights of vulnerable people.

Read the statement as follows:

Joint letter to:

 The Minister of Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachi

  • The Alternate Minister of Migration and Asylum, Giorgos Koumoutsakos

Cc:

  • The European Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Věra Jourová
  • The President of the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Council of Europe, Jeremy McBride
  • The President of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe, Anna Rurka
  • The UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule
  • The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, Felipe González Morales

The undersigned organisations welcome the ‘Opinion on the Compatibility with European Standards of Recent and Planned Amendments to the Greek Legislation on NGO Registration’ from the Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference of INGOs of the Council of Europe (hereafter Expert Council).[1] The organisations appreciate the efforts of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum to centralize the registration of organisations active in the field of international protection, migration, asylum and social integration of third-country nationals, but endorse the recommendation that current legislation “should be substantially revised so that they are brought into line with European standards”.[2]

The Expert Council expressed their concern that the registration and certification procedure creates unnecessary and disproportional barriers on the work of NGOs and impedes freedom of association.[3] This could have a chilling effect on civil society and potentially create a “worrying humanitarian situation” as organisations cover existing gaps in the provision of services, protection, health and the monitoring of human rights.[4] These concerns are not unfounded; a recent announcement by the Minister of Migration and Asylum made clear that after the registration process only 18 out of 44 organisations will be allowed to continue work inside government facilities until a final decision on their certification is given.[5] A first listing of NGOs that will receive a final decision on their certification, and which are allowed to continue their work in government structures excludes a large number of organisations which provide essential services, including medical NGOs.[6]

In order to continue work in government facilities, organisations that previously registered were obliged to re-register within two months after publication of legislation.[7] According to the Expert Council these requirements do not satisfy proportionality requirements for the restriction on the freedom of association. The low number of organisations that proceeded to the certification stage of the registration procedure reflects the Expert Council finding that the procedure is onerous, time consuming and costly, especially for smaller NGOs.[8] In addition the Expert Council warns there could be arbitrary decisions made based on the vagueness of criteria for certification and a lack of independence of the deciding body.[9] 

Both the Expert Council and the European Court of Justice recently emphasized that the work of NGOs is essential for a democratic state and a well functioning pluralistic society and therefore there should be minimal limitations to their work.[10] The work of many organisations in Greece is essential in providing basic services including legal assistance, medical care, child protection, women’s protection and empowerment, housing, support for unaccompanied children, (informal) education, employment counseling, job matching, Site Management Support, and provision of information, but are currently hampered by legislative requirements.[11] To ensure the well functioning of civil society in Greece NGOs should have been consulted about legislation regarding their work and the procedure for registration and certification should be made as ‘simple as possible’ and in line with the right to the freedom of association.[12] Therefore, we respectfully ask you:

  • To implement the recommendations made by the Expert Council on NGO Law to bring legislation on NGO registration in line with European standards.  
  • To urgently reconsider the requirements for certification and the decision making pathway for certification in accordance with the findings of the Expert Council on NGO Law.  
  • To engage in a constructive dialogue with civil society on the requirements for registration and certification and how the government could encourage organisations to be accountable and transparent, as a means to attain the legitimate goals set out in Article 11(2) of the ECHR.
  •  To proceed with timely public consultation and discussion with civil society on legislative reforms and forthcoming legislation regarding registration of NGOs in Greece as per the Expert Council’s recommendation.

 

We remain at your disposal for more information.

Signed by,

  1. Action for Education
  2. Action for Women
  3. ActionAid Hellas
  4. Advocates Abroad
  5. Afghan Community Migration & Refugees in Greece
  6. ARION-CETACEAN RESCUE AND REHABILITATION RESEARCH CENTER
  7. ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth
  8. Bridge2
  9. Centre for Research on Women’s Issues (CRWI) “Diotima”
  10. Changemakers Lab
  11. Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
  12. Donate4Refugees
  13. ECHO100PLUS
  14. ELIX
  15. Fenix – Humanitarian Legal Aid
  16. foodKIND
  17. Free Movement Skateboarding UK
  18. Greek Forum Of Migrants – Ελληνικό Φόρουμ Μεταναστών
  19. Greek Forum of Refugees
  20. Hellenic Liver Patient Association “Prometheus”
  21. Help Refugees
  22. HIGGS
  23. Humanity Now: Direct Refugee Relief
  24. HumanRights360
  25. Humans for Humans (The Imagine Project)
  26. I AM YOU Humanitarian Aid
  27. InCommOn AMKE
  28. Indigo Volunteers
  29. Intereuropean Human Aid Association
  30. INTERSOS Hellas
  31. InterVolve
  32. Jesuit Refugee Service Greece – JRS Greece
  33. La Luna Di Vasilika ONLUS
  34. Lesvos Solidarity
  35. Medical Volunteers International e.V.
  36. Melissa: Network of Migrant Women in Greece
  37. mellifera
  38. MERIMNA – Society for the care of children and families facing illness and death
  39. Mobile Info Team
  40. Northern Lights Aid
  41. Office of Displaced Designers
  42. OMNES
  43. One Happy Family
  44. Project Armonia
  45. Refugee Legal Support (RLS)
  46. Refugee Rescue
  47. Refugee Rights Europe
  48. Refugee Trauma Initiative (RTI)
  49. Refugee Youth Service
  50. RefugeeEd
  51. Samos Volunteers
  52. ShowerPower Foundation
  53. Social Hacker A.M.K.E.
  54. SolidarityNow
  55. Still I Rise
  56. Terre des hommes Hellas
  57. Velos Youth
  58. Verein FAIR.
  59. Wave – Thessaloniki
  60. We Need Books
  61. Yoga and Sport For Refugees
  62. YouBeHero
  63. ΒΙΟΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΕΣ ΓΙΑ ΠΟΙΟΤΙΚΗ ΖΩΗ (ΒΙΟΖΩ)
  64. Θάλασσα Αλληλεγγύης- Thalassa of Solidarity
  65. Κοινωφελές Σωματείο Αρωγής Ηλικιωμένων και Ατόμων με Αναπηρία-ΦΡΟΝΤΙΖΩ
  66. Μary Pini Director KESO Μαίρη Πίνη Διευθύντρια ΚΕΣΟ
  67. Τεχνοδρομώ/ArtActing
  68. 50και Ελλάς

[1] Expert Council on NGO Law of the Conference INGOs of the Council of Europe (Expert Council) (2020), Opinion on the Compatibility with European Standards of Recent and Planned Amendments to the Greek Legislation on NGO Registration, CONF/EXP(2020)4, 2 July.

[2] Expert Council, para 109.

[3] Expert Council, para 78.

[4] Expert Council, para 83-85 and 108.

[5] Mitarakis, N. “18 Μη Κυβερνητικές Οργανώσεις διατηρούν το δικαίωμα εισόδου σε ΚΥΤ και δομές φιλοξενίας” (17 June 2020).

[6] Listing has been shared with the NGOs that can continue to be active in the structures.

[7] Article 9(1) of Ministerial Decision 3036/2020.

[8] Expert Council, 54 and 58.

[9] Expert Council, para 70-72.

[10] Expert Council para, 8 and European Court of Justice (ECJ) (2020) Judgment Commission v Hungary (Grand Chamber), ruling of 18 June 2020, Case C-78/18, para 110-114 and Expert Council para 8.

[11] United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) (2020) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants: Right to the Freedom of association of migrants and their defenders, UN Doc A/HRC/44/42 13 May, para 83 and Expert Council, para 4 and 8.

[12] OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) (2014) Guidelines on the Freedom of Association, 14 December, para 156 and Expert Council, para 60.

 

Open letter: The European Commission must prioritise addressing police violence and structural racism in the EU

Posted on Friday July 3rd, 2020

ENAR and 150+ organisations across Europe co-signed this open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to raise our serious concerns regarding the lack of reaction of EU leaders regarding police brutality against people of colour in Europe as well as institutional and structural racism.

12 June 2020

Open Letter to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

The European Commission must prioritise addressing police violence and structural racism in the EU

CC to: Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, Commissioner Helena Dalli

Dear Ms. von der Leyen,

As organisations working for an equal and inclusive Europe, we would like to raise our serious concerns regarding the lack of real reaction of EU leaders regarding police brutality against people of colour in Europe as well as institutional and structural racism, following the killing of George Floyd in the United States and ensuing solidarity protests in Europe and across the world. We were appalled by the statement by EU Commissioner Schinas which delegitimises the public outcry against police brutality and institutional racism in Europe.

On 3 June 2020, Commissioner Schinas was quoted in the Financial Times as saying that events such as the killing of African-American man George Floyd in Minneapolis, and the wave of demonstrations against it, were “not likely . . . to happen in Europe at this scale”. “I do not think that we have issues now in Europe that blatantly pertain to police brutality or issues of race transcending into our systems. But we do have an issue in Europe, which is the issue of inequalities and income distribution — making the best for everyone of what we have.”

As an EU Commissioner, Mr. Schinas should have shown empathy with the victims of widespread racism in the EU. Instead his reckless statement has denied racialised communities across the EU the recognition of the oppression they are subjected to on a daily basis.

His statement is a blatant denial of the existence of police brutality and discriminatory policing in Europe, despite evidence of this reality, including from EU bodies themselves, such as the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, which found that one quarter of all persons of African descent surveyed were stopped by the police in the five years before the survey, and among these, 41% characterised the most recent stop as racial profiling. In France, young men perceived as black or Arab are 20 times more likely to be controlled by police than others. In the UK, data shows that the proportion of black and ethnic minority deaths in custody as a result of use of force or restraint by the police, is over two times greater than it is in other deaths in custody. Roma people across Europe also experience racial profiling and police violence. This is not a new issue. For decades, ENAR and anti-racist organisations on the ground have been reporting what racialised communities experience at the hands of the police across the European Union: discriminatory stop and search, abuse, violence and even death. So far, however, there has been little visibility and no public response.

EU and member state leaders pointed fingers at the United States for the killing of George Floyd and police brutality, while maintaining a deafening silence on the situation in their own countries, going as far as denying that police violence is an issue in Europe. This lack of reaction reflects a denial of long-standing existence of systems of oppression in European societies, of historical injustices and persistent racial inequalities in areas of housing, healthcare, employment and education, as well as repeated experiences of state violence and impunity.

The bare minimum that EU leaders should do is acknowledge the existence of and publicly condemn discriminatory and violent police practices, in particular when it results in death. But most European political leaders were not even able to do that.

There is an urgent need to ensure fair and effective policing practices for all communities. EU member state governments must adopt measures to combat and prevent racism in law enforcement. This includes severe sanctions in cases of police violence, ensuring fair and independent investigations, prohibiting racial profiling, and increasing racial diversity and trainings within the police force. The EU and its Member States should also collect equality data to make visible where racial profiling, disproportionate use of force and deaths following an interaction with the police are happening. Such data should enable intersectional cross-analysis, for example to identify specific experiences of racialised women.

Twenty years ago, the European Union was at the forefront of the fight against racial discrimination when it adopted landmark laws to prohibit discrimination based on race or ethnic origin. In a time of rising racist violence, persistent discrimination and racial inequality, the European Commission must have a stronger, more public commitment to address police violence and structural racism in Europe.

We would be happy to meet you to discuss our concerns in more detail and propose solutions, and look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Karen Taylor, Chair of the European Network Against Racism

Co-signed by:
1. ABVV-ACOD Cultuur, Belgium
2. ACLI-Vlaanderen vzw, Belgium
3. Aditus Foundation, Malta
4. Africa Solidarity Centre, Ireland
5. African and Caribbean Diversity, United Kingdom
6. African Media Association, Malta
7. AGE Platform Europe
8. AIF+ – Actieve Interculturele Federatie vzw, Belgium
9. AKAZ – Kazumba Association, Portugal
10. Alasia Sanchia, Counsellor, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, United Kingdom
11. Alliance Citoyenne, France
12. Altera, Italy
13. Andalucía Acoge, Spain
14. ANTIGONE – Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non-Violence, Greece
15. Anti-Racist Forum, Finland
16. Apna Haq, United Kingdom
17. Arciragazzi Portici, Italy
18. ASKV Refugee Support, Netherlands
19. Asociación Musulmana por los Derechos Humanos (AMDEH), Spain
20. Asociacion Nacional Presencia Gitana, Spain
21. Asociación Rumiñahui, Spain
22. Association of African Students in Europe (AASE)
23. ASTI asbl – Associations de soutien aux travailleurs immigrés, Luxembourg
24. Ba Omar, Ecowasflanders, Belgium
25. Balbriggan Integration Forum, Ireland
26. BAMKO-CRAN asbl, Belgium
27. Ban Ying Koordinations- und Beratungsstelle gegen Menschenhandel e.V., Germany
28. BePax, Belgium
29. Café Congo, Belgium
30. CCME, the Churches´ Commission for Migrants in Europe
31. CEJI-A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive Europe
32. Center for Equality Advancement, Lithuania
33. Center for Intersectional Justice, Germany
34. Center for Migration, Gender and Justice, Germany
35. Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Germany
36. Centre d’action interculturelle de la Province de Namur, Belgium
37. Centre de Médiation des Gens du Voyage et des Roms, Belgium
38. Centre for Peace Studies, Croatia
39. Centre Régional d’Intégration de Charleroi, Belgium
40. Centre Régional de Verviers pour l’Intégration, Belgium
41. Centre Régional d’Intégration du Brabant Wallon (CRIBW), Belgium
42. CeRAIC, Belgium
43. Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en Belgique (CCIB), Belgium
44. Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en France (CCIF), France
45. Collectif féministe Kahina, Belgium
46. Collectif Mémoire Coloniale, Belgium
47. Confédération des Syndicats Chrétiens (CSC), Belgium
48. Conseil Représentatif des Associations Noires (CRAN), France
49. Discrimination Law Association, United Kingdom
50. Dokumentations- und Beratungsstelle Islamfeindlichkeit & antimuslimischer Rassismus, Austria
51. Each One Teach One e.V. (EOTO), Germany
52. Een Andere Joodse Stem (EAJS), Belgium
53. ELLA vzw, Belgium
54. EMCEMO, Netherlands
55. ENAR Belgium
56. Equal Opportunities Initiative Association, Bulgaria
57. European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN)
58. European Council for Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
59. European Forum of Muslim Women (EFOMW)
60. European Network of Women of African Descent (ENWAD)
61. European Network On Religion and Belief
62. European Roma Grassroots Organisations Network
63. European Roma Information Office (ERIO)
64. European Roma Rights Centre
65. European Women’s Lobby
66. Federation of Roma Associations in Catalonia – FAGiC, Spain
67. FMV vzw, Belgium
68. Forum of European Muslim Youth and Student Organisations (FEMYSO)
69. Foundation for Shelter and Support to Migrants, Malta
70. Fundación Al Fanar para el Conocimiento Árabe, Spain
71. Furia, Belgium
72. Generation 2.0 RED, Greece
73. Greek Forum of Migrants, Greece
74. Grupo EducAR – Anti Racist Education, Portugal
75. Hand in Hand tegen racisme, Belgium
76. Hart Boven Hard, Belgium
77. Help Refugees, United Kingdom
78. Human Rights League (Liga za ľudské práva), Slovakia
79. IDB Initiative für ein diskriminierungsfreies Bildungswesen, Austria
80. Il Razzismo è una brutta storia, Italy
81. ILGA-Europe
82. In IUSTITIA, Czech Republic
83. Inequalities Research Network, University of Leeds, United Kingdom
84. InMenteItaca, Italy
85. Instituto de Asuntos Culturales – IACE, Spain
86. Integratipact vzw, Belgium
87. Integro Association, Bulgaria
88. Intercultural Dialogue Platform, Belgium
89. Irish Network Against Racism, Ireland
90. Jallow Momodou, General Rapporteur on combating racism and intolerance, Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination, Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
91. Jesuit Refugee Service Europe
92. Jesuit Refugee Service Malta
93. Job@Ubuntu, Belgium
94. Kaneza Karen, former ENAR board member, Belgium
95. KARAMAH EU
96. Killion Munyama, Polish MP
97. King Brenda, ACDiversity, United Kingdom
98. KISA – Action for equality, support, anti-racism, Cyprus
99. Kopin – Koperazzjoni Internazzjonali, Malta
100. Kreativ Research Association-Center for Media Studies and Social Research, Romania
101. La Voix des Rroms, France
102. Lallab, France
103. Le Monde des Possibles, Belgium
104. Ligue des droits humains, Belgium
105. Malta Emigrants’ Commission, Malta
106. Merhaba, Belgium
107. Migrant Tales, Finland
108. Migrant Women Association, Malta
109. Minderhedenforum, Belgium
110. MOC, Belgium
111. Movimento di Cooperazione Educativa di Torino, Italy
112. MRAX ASBL, Mouvement contre le Racisme, l’Antisémitisme et la Xénophobie, Belgium
113. Muslim Association of Greece, Greece
114. Mwinda Kitoko vzw, Belgium
115. Netzwerk Rassismus und Diskriminierungsfreies Bayern e.V., Germany
116. Nevo Parudimos Association, Romania
117. NiLi, Network Italiano dei Leader per l’Inclusione, Italy
118. Objectif, mouvement pour l’égalité des droits asbl, Belgium
119. ORBIT vzw, Belgium
120. Pan-African Movement for Justice, Sweden
121. Peregrina, Austria
122. Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
123. Por Ti Mujer, Spain
124. Quaker Council for European Affairs
125. Queer Base – Welcome & Support for LGBTIQ Refugees, Austria
126. Rainbowhouse Brussels, Belgium
127. Red Acoge, Spain
128. Red AMINVI, Spain
129. Red Española de Inmigración y Ayuda al Refugiado, Spain
130. Refugee Rights Europe
131. Reghif Mouhad, Bruxelles Panthères, Belgium
132. Regional Roma Educational Youth Association – RROMA, North Macedonia
133. Rete21marzo, Italy
134. REVIBRA Europe – European Support Network to Brazilian women in Europe
135. Roma Active Albania
136. Roma Community Centre, Lithuania
137. Roma Education Fund
138. Roma Entrepreneurship Development Initiative REDI
139. Roots vzw, Belgium
140. Samenlevingsopbouw, Belgium
141. SEER vzw, Belgium
142. SHARE Forum, Belgium
143. Siempre-Making Latin Women Visible, Belgium
144. Slovo 21, Czech Republic
145. SolidarityNow, Greece
146. SOS Malta, Malta
147. Stichting OCAN, Netherlands
148. Stichting voor mensen zonder verblijfsvergunning – STIL Utrecht, Netherlands
149. Tayush, Belgium
150. Uganda Association of Ireland, Ireland
151. UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab – People of of African Descent and the SDGs e-team
152. Union des Progressistes Juifs de Belgique (UPJB), Belgium
153. Vaiya Alfiaz, former coordinator of the EP Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup
154. Verein Schwarze Frauen Community, Austria
155. Victoria Deluxe vzw, Belgium
156. Vie Féminine, Belgium
157. Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, Kosovo
158. Waterford Integration Services, Ireland
159. WoW e.V., Germany

Download the letter in pdf format

FEANTSA study visit: Reception and housing conditions for asylum seekers residing in Greece

Posted on Monday June 22nd, 2020
Anna Pantelia

Back in March @FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless,  conducted a study visit to Greece, to learn more about the material reception conditions for asylum seekers residing in the country (particularly in Lesvos and Athens) and to better understand the main challenges that both asylum seekers and reception centres face. SolidarityNow, a member of FEANTSA, facilitated the study visit and guided the participants through Eleonas camp and its own Youth Shelters for asylum seekers in Athens. We also provided useful information for a report that describes the visit and provides policy recommendations for the European Union.

Read it here: https://www.feantsa.org/public/user/Resources/Fin_Report_studyvisit_Greece.pdf

Finding work is easier with new technology to help migrants enter the job market

Posted on Friday June 19th, 2020

A new serious game application launches in time for World Refugee Day June 20, 2020

To mark World Refugee Day on June 20, 2020, a new application called WORKEEN launches to help migrants, asylum seekers and refugees gain access to the job market.

WORKEEN is a serious game application, created by a team of political scientists, sociologists, economists and software engineers based in seven European countries and in Canada, to provide practical guidance and hands-on soft-skills training for anyone entering the labour market for the first time. The application draws from the research conducted in the Horizon 2020 research project SIRIUS “Skills and Integration of Migrants, Refugees and Asylum Applicants in European Labour Markets” and is one of the first of its kind to offer interactive “training” that helps recently arrived migrant job seekers and EU citizens that are new entrants to the labour market, effectively obtain and start a job in their new country.

The application guides job seekers through the two stages of job search and workplace integration. It provides extensive information on how to adjust to new or unknown work and social environments and provides interactive gaming scenarios to help users develop the soft skills they need to be successful.

Stage 1) What you need to know and do to obtain a job offer

The first stage of WORKEEN helps the migrant, asylum seeker or the refugee follow all the necessary steps to secure an offer of employment. The application provides a checklist to help the user identify documentation they will need in their job search, such as their identity documents, language certificates, evidence of previous employment or education, and work permits. The user is then guided on how to present their skills and past experience through the creation of an online profile that is relevant to the new work and social environment they are entering.  WORKEEN leads users through the final stage of a job search, providing information on how to contact a placement agency, write a cover letter and curriculum vitae and prepare for a job interview.

Stage 2) How to succeed in your new role

Once the first stage is successfully completed, the job seeker can explore WORKEEN’s interactive activities to help them prepare to enter a new workplace. Stage 2 is designed to help new employees become familiar with their new country or new position so they may avoid unpleasant tensions. It also makes them aware of their rights and prepares them to address potential exploitation and abuse. Serious games like WORKEEN give participants training on such matters as etiquette at the workplace, gender issues, everyday habits, communication issues, dress code, as well as labour standards and regulations. WORKEEN creates scenarios to help users navigate challenging situations from simple miscommunication on everyday encounters with co-workers or supervisors to facing bullying or abusive behaviour in the workplace or rights’ violations.

The WORKEEN application is available on Google Play store for Android devices, free of charge. It can be used in individual or collective training sessions organised by employment agencies, migrant organisations and other stakeholders. Naturally, it can be directly downloaded by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers or anyone wanting to develop their soft skills to gain employment. The application is available in English, Arabic, Farsi and in six different European languages (Czech, Danish, Finnish, French, Greek and Italian).

**SIRIUS is an EU founded project which was launched in January 2018 and will run for three years. It is consisted of 11 partners from 7 countries and it builds on a multi-dimensional conceptual framework in which host country or political-institutional, societal and individual-related conditions function either as enablers or as barriers to migrants’, refugees’ and asylum seekers’ integration via the labor market.

Concerns over the upcoming exits of 8,300 refugees from their homes in Greece – Joint Letter to EU and Greek officials

Posted on Friday May 29th, 2020

Joint letter to: 

The Minister of Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarachis 

The European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson

The European Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas

The undersigned organisations express their grave concern about the upcoming exits of at least 8,300 recognised refugees from accommodation and cash assistance schemes in Greece by the end of May 2020. A considerable number of these people, of which a large proportion are families with children, are facing an increased risk of homelessness amidst a global pandemic.

Refugees who have received international protection are being forced to leave apartments for vulnerable people in the Emergency Support to Integration & Accommodation programme (ESTIA), hotels under the Temporary Shelter and Protection programme (FILOXENIA), Reception and Identification Centres (RICs) and refugee camps. Almost simultaneously, financial assistance in the form of EU implemented and supported cash cards will stop. These upcoming measures will affect the livelihood of at least 4,800 people who need to leave ESTIA accommodation, 3,500 people who need to leave RICs and hosting facilities, as well as 1,200 refugees who are self-accommodated and receive cash assistance. 

The Hellenic Integration Support for Beneficiaries of International Protection programme (HELIOS) provides integration courses and contribute towards rental costs up to a maximum of twelve months for those that have to leave accommodation. In practice, out of 8,752 people enrolled in the HELIOS programme, only 1,590 people receive rental subsidies. 82 percent of people who enrolled in HELIOS since 2019 do not yet receive rental subsidies. To benefit from the HELIOS programme beneficiaries need to have a high level of independence and self-sufficiency. Beneficiaries need to provide a tax number, a bank account and procure a rental agreement to receive HELIOS support. As the Greek bureaucratic system is difficult to navigate, doubly so for non-Greek speakers, people face enormous challenges in finding accommodation, paying deposits, and enrolling in HELIOS. Other than the HELIOS programme which is only available to recognised refugees, apart from a few fragmented municipal and NGO initiatives there is no alternative social support, especially at the reception stage, which in Greece can last up to three years. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected everyone in Greece but restrictions on movement and measures to halt the spread of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected the population that now needs to leave accommodation. Lockdown has also meant that people have had no possibility to search for alternative housing, find employment or arrange the necessary requirements to enter the HELIOS programme. Even now that restrictions are slowly being lifted throughout the whole of Greece, life is far from returning to normal, especially for those in Reception and Identification Centres on the Aegean islands and the hosting facilities Ritsona, Malakasa and Koutsohero where restrictions on movement are extended until 7 June 2020. 

At least 8,300 people need to leave their accomodation by the end of May and only a small percentage are provided with integration support (including rental subsidies) through the HELIOS programme. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that people are almost simultaneously losing cash assistance from the cash card assistance programme. Although both ESTIA and HELIOS programmes are funded by DG HOME and implemented by the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, there is no linkage between them to ease the transition from one to the other. As a result, a considerable number of vulnerable people will be left without any support or prospect of integration and will have to face a severely increased risk of becoming homeless. Bureaucratic obstacles have meant that many of these people do not have a tax number or a bank account, both necessary to get a job or rent an apartment. Indeed, according to UNHCR, only 7 percent of recognised refugees in the ESTIA programme have a bank account and 75 percent have a tax number. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it impossible for people to find employment, alternative housing or arrange documentation for the HELIOS integration programme. 

Therefore, we urgently request you to ensure that: 

  • The deadline of exits from ESTIA, FILOXENIA, RICs and refugee camps are extended beyond the end of May so that people have adequate time to find alternative accommodation, search for employment and fully enrol in the HELIOS integration programme after being under restrictive measures since 13 March 2020. No one should face the risk of homelessness amid an ongoing global pandemic. 
  • The monthly financial support under the EU implemented (and supported) cash card assistance programme is extended for those who need to exit accommodation and face the risk of homelessness. 
  • Elderly people, people with serious medical problems and single parents, are included in the extension of exits from accomodation in addition to those already deemed extremely vulnerable such as women in the last terms of their pregnancy and women with high-risk pregnancies. 
  • A bridge is created between ESTIA and other reception accommodation to the HELIOS program which also includes self-accommodated people. Currently self-accommodated people cannot enrol in the HELIOS programme but still need integration support and financial assistance after receiving international protective status. 
  • Bureaucratic barriers are removed so that asylum seekers have access to all the legal documents they are entitled to, such as a social security number, a  tax number, and a bank account, so that people are able to seek employment and accommodation, to guarantee the right to housing.
  • A coherent and long term strategy on integration and housing is created as recent legislation requires newly recognised refugees to leave accommodation within 30 days instead of six months, significantly reducing the time for people to prepare themselves.

We remain at your disposal for more information.

Signed by:

  • A Drop in the Ocean
  • Action for Education
  • ANTIGONE – Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence
  • ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth
  • Bridge2
  • CHEERing: Center for Health Equity, Education and Research International Group
  • CRIBS International
  • Danish Refugee Council (DRC)
  • DIOTIMA Centre
  • ECHO100PLUS
  • Ecological Movement of Thessaloniki
  • Equal Rights Beyond Borders
  • Fair Planet
  • FENIX Humanitarian Legal Aid
  • foodKIND
  • Free Movement Skateboarding UK 
  • Glocal Roots
  • Greek Helsinki Monitor
  • Greek Housing Network
  • Hellenic League for Human Rights
  • Help Refugees / Choose Love 
  • HIAS Greece – HIAS Ελλάδος 
  • Higher Incubator Giving Growth and Sustainability-HIGGS
  • Humanity Now / Direct Refugee Relief USA
  • HumanRights360
  • Humans for Humans
  • I AM YOU
  • Intereuropean Human Aid Association
  • International Rescue Committee (IRC)
  • INTERSOS Hellas
  • INTERSOS Organizzazione Umanitaria
  • InterVolve
  • Jesuit Refugee Service Greece (JRS Greece)
  • Legal Centre Lesvos
  • Lighthouse Relief (LHR)
  • Melissa: Network of Migrant Women in Greece
  • MIGREUROP
  • Migreurop
  • Mobile Info Team
  • Network for Children’s Rights – Δίκτυο για τα Δικαιώματα του Παιδιού
  • Northern Lights Aid
  • Omnes
  • One Happy Family
  • Pampiraiki Support Initiative for Refugees & Migrants
  • Project Armonia
  • Project Elea
  • ReFOCUS Media Labs
  • Refugee Legal Support (RLS)
  • Refugee Trauma Initiative
  • Refugee Youth Service
  • Samos Volunteers
  • ShowerPower Foundation
  • SolidarityNow
  • Still I Rise
  • Symbiosis-School of political studies in Greece, Council of Europe Network of Schools
  • Terre des hommes Hellas
  • The Lava Project
  • Velos Youth 
  • Verein FAIR.
  • Wave – Thessaloniki
  • Yoga and Sport For Refugees

Joint letter exits accommodation ENGLISH (29-05-2020)

Open Letter: The impact on unaccompanied minors of the proposed “Improvement of Immigration Legislation, amendment of provisions 4636/2019 (A ‘169), 4375/2016 (A’ 51), 4251/2014 (A ’80) and others”

Posted on Wednesday May 6th, 2020
Giorgos Moutafis for SolidarityNow

In light of the forthcoming vote in the Hellenic Parliament of a proposed Legislation by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, 20 Civil Society Organizations including SolidarityNow, sent a letter to MPs expressing concerns about some of the proposed provisions that can potentially have a negative impact on unaccompanied children. We insist that the need to accelerate the process of awarding international protection cannot remove guarantees that safeguard the rights of unaccompanied children arriving to our country.

Read our letter and suggestions for improving the proposed provisions.

Athens, 4 May 2020

The impact on unaccompanied minors of the proposed “Improvement of Immigration Legislation, amendment of provisions 4636/2019 (A ‘169), 4375/2016 (A’ 51), 4251/2014 (A ’80) and others”

Dear Members of Parliament,

The undersigned organisations which are active in the field of the protection of children in migration would like to express our concern with respect to some of the proposed provisions, of the aforementioned proposal of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, which removes safeguards of the rights of unaccompanied children who arrive in our country. Equally, some of the proposed amendments conflict with provisions of international law, such as the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and UNHCR and EASO guidelines with respect to the examination of asylum applications of unaccompanied minors. As a result, there is an increased risk that such children will be deprived of the appropriate treatment provided for by national, Union and international law, and that they will come of age before their claim is processed, and consequently will lose their right to family reunion in other EU countries or their opportunity to move to countries in which they have expressed a desire to be accepted.

We would like to express our approval of some of the changes which have been made following on the public consultation, such as the clarification of the responsibilities of the Special Secretariat for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors within the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum on the one hand, and the EKKA within the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on the other. We would also like to put to you some specific issues which still particularly worry us with respect to the draft legislation in its current form, along with corresponding suggestions as to how to improve the proposed new provisions.

Article 2 (as Article 15, addressed below) removes priority for the examination of applications for international protection when the applicant belongs to the category of vulnerable persons. Without the prioritisation of applications of unaccompanied minors, there is a risk that they will become of age before their request is examined, with the result that they are deprived of the more favourable treatment provided for by the Common European Asylum System,  including the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We recommend maintaining the provision of Law 4636/2019 which is removed under the proposed changes, i.e. priority for the examination of applications for international protection when the applicant belongs to the category of vulnerable persons.

Article 5, paragraph 1, proposes that the entire registration of asylum applications be conducted by the Regional Services for Reception and Identification. The registration process is very important and must be conducted by expert authorities which are competent to examine applications for international protection, i.e. the Asylum Service. This would ensure the correct recording of the applicants’ details, as well as the reasons for which they seek asylum. Moreover, the Asylum Service is the only body which is competent to conduct the aforementioned registrations, as well as the processing of family reunion applications. Delegating the complete registration of asylum applications to the Regional Services for Reception and Identification does not guarantee the necessary safeguards, considering the proposals do not provide for special training for the the staff and may lead to cases in which the required documents are not released, jeopardising the right to apply for family reunification, which is crucial for unaccompanied children.

We recommend omitting Article 5, paragraph 1, as long as the specialised training of staff at the Regional Services for Reception and Identification is not guaranteed.

Article 15, in view of the planned amendment of paragraph 10 of article 83 of law 4636/2019, removes the exclusion of unaccompanied children from the expedited procedure for the examination of asylum claims. The explicit and absolute exclusion of unaccompanied children from the expedited procedure should be reinstated. Reduced procedural guarantees, such as stricter deadlines and the removal of the right to reside in Greece during the examination of an appeal, conflict with the principle of the best interests of children.

We recommend amending paragraph 10 of Article 83 of law 4636/2019, as follows: “applications for international protection of unaccompanied minors will under no circumstances be examined by way of the expedited procedure”.

Article 15 also removes priority for the examination of applications for international protection when the applicant belongs to the category of vulnerable persons (as in Article 2, above), there is a risk that they will come of age before their request is examined, with the result that they are deprived of the appropriate protection and treatment.

We recommend maintaining the provision of Law 4636/2019 which is removed under the proposed changes, i.e. priority for the examination of applications for international protection when the applicant belongs to the category of vulnerable persons.

Article 27 prohibits the referral of cases by the Appeals Authority to the Asylum Services constitutes an unjustified reduction of the scope of jurisdiction from the asylum procedure.

We recommend the removal of the provision, and suggest providing for referrals to the first instance, especially of given cases where there are evident errors or a lack of procedural guarantees in the examination of asylum applications.

Article 60 paragraph (e) removes the power of the Independent Appeals Commissions to refer cases to the competent authorities of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum for the issuance of a residence permit for humanitarian reasons. With regards to unaccompanied children whose application has been rejected in an appeal, legal provision must be made for them to lawfully remain in the country until they are of age. It is Greece’s duty to take account of the legal principle of best interests (of the child), which can hardly be considered to allow for them to remain in Greece illegally after a full and final rejection of their application for international protection. At the same time, we must have due regard for children who come of age and participate in the process of social integration over an extended period, have lived in the country for a long amount of time and have developed social ties to the community.

We recommend removing paragraph (e) from Article 60.

Sirs/madams, Members of Parliament, we understand the need to improve procedures in order to accelerate the process of awarding international protection, which is the aim of the new proposed legislation. At the same time, however, it is important that established guarantees are not removed so as to ensure the safeguarding of the rights of unaccompanied children in our country, as it is precisely these rights which immigration law is meant to protect. Unaccompanied children should first and foremost be treated as children.

We are at your disposition for more information,

Yours sincerely,

The undersigned organisations:

  • ARSIS
  • Medecins du Monde
  • Danish Refugee Council
  • Defence for Children International Greece
  • Network for Children’s Rights
  • Greek Refugee Forum
  • Greek Council for Refugees
  • ELIX
  • Equal Rights Beyond Borders
  • Faros
  • Help Refugees/ Choose Love
  • HIAS Greece
  • HumanRights360
  • International Rescue Committee (IRC)
  • Legal Centre Lesvos
  • METAdrasis
  • Refugee Legal Support
  • Praksis
  • Solidarity Now
  • Terre des hommes Hellas