Action for Education
AFE
We're fighting for the rights of children and youth in one of the forgotten corners of Europe, where thousands of children and young adults have their right to education, safe, fun and playful spaces withheld from them.
ID: 526283837763-31
Lobbying Activity
Response to New Pact on Migration and Asylum
26 Aug 2020
Europe Must Act (EMA) has prepared the following report on the basis of data collected from 21 grassroots organisations who work with asylum seekers on the Greek Aegean Islands. Europe Must Act is a growing social movement that brings together volunteers and NGOs to campaign for the humane, dignified and legal reception of refugees in Europe.
The Aegean Grassroots Report (attached) aims to provide a broad overview of the humanitarian crisis in the Aegean and the specific challenges faced by both NGOs and asylum seekers. The AGR specifies concrete recommendations for the provision of relief to the camps and structural changes for a more humane migration policy in Europe. This report calls on EU and national policy makers to take urgent action to address this protracted humanitarian crisis at Europe’s borders.
The EU's current approach, focused on securitization, deterrence and externalization of the issue of migration to Europe’s borders, has created a humanitarian crisis in which nearly 30,000 people are living in deplorable conditions in the ‘hotpot’ camps of the Aegean Islands. Not only is international law currently being violated with regards to the 'pushbacks' in the Aegean sea but human rights violations are a daily reality for all residents of these camps. Nutritious food and drinking water are insufficient, shelter and sanitation facilities are highly inadequate and access to education and healthcare are extremely limited. Violence among residents, outbreaks of fires, inadequate living conditions, outbreaks of disease, as well as a lack of psychosocial support to address people’s mental health needs mean that camp resident’s lives are at risk every day. On August 13 2020, the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in one of these hotspot camps, Vial on Chios.
Based on the expertise of grassroots organisations, Europe Must Act makes the following recommendations:
1) Immediate actions to provide relief to the Aegean camps
- Initiating an orderly and humane decongestion of the Aegean camps with the assistance and support of other European states in relocating asylum-seekers across Europe.
- Recognising grassroots organisations and refugees as essential partners and stakeholders who are regularly consulted and informed by relevant authorities on all aspects of camp management.
- Increasing financial and technical assistance by the European Union and European governments.
2) Recommendations for structural changes
- Establish safe and legal pathways to Europe by shifting away from border control programs and deterrence.
- Foster solidarity among European states to enable the physical relocation of asylum-seekers from countries of first arrival to other European states.
- Increase the role for European cities and municipalities in national and European migration policy making. Efforts of cities in the field of reception and integration must be supported by the EU and the Member States' governments through funding and expertise.
The attached report can also be found at the following link: europemustact.org/download-aegean-grassroots-report
For the main points, see the introduction, page 13, and recommendations, page 63.
Read full responseMeeting with Ylva Johansson (Commissioner) and
8 Apr 2020 · Situation on the Greek islands