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Urgent need for a real solution for unaccompanied minors in Greece
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The issue of the identification, protection and support of unaccompanied minors in Greece remains urgent. Many of these children are essentially unprotected, often incorrectly registered, and may even end up homeless in the streets of Greek cities, exposed to grave dangers.
As the recent finÂdings of RefuÂgee SupÂport AegeÂan (RSA) and PRO ASYL show, proÂtecÂting and supÂportÂing unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors in Greece conÂtiÂnues to be a presÂsing issue, espeÂciÂalÂly folÂloÂwing recent negaÂtiÂve deveÂloÂpÂments relaÂting to the disÂconÂtiÂnuaÂtion of speÂciaÂliÂsed supÂport proÂgramÂmes, the withÂdraÂwal of NGOs dealÂing with their idenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon from the so-calÂled hotÂspots, and the cloÂsure of shelÂters for minors, as well as signiÂfiÂcant delays in asylÂum, famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon and reloÂcaÂtiÂon processes.
Greece has always been a tranÂsit counÂtry for refuÂgees – incluÂding unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors. Until the sigÂning of the EU-TurÂkey Deal, most of theÂse young peoÂpÂle were not regisÂtering with their true age, as they were tryÂing to avoÂid the extenÂsiÂve detentiÂon (the so-calÂled »proÂtecÂtiÂve cusÂtÂody«, which can last for years) that childÂren have to face due to a lack of places in speÂciaÂliÂsed shelters.
After the graÂduÂal cloÂsure of the BalÂkan CorÂriÂdor (from NovemÂber 2015 until March 2016), more and more unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minor refuÂgees began to reapÂpear in the offiÂciÂal staÂtisÂtics as well as in the shelÂters. Today, it is estiÂmaÂted that theÂre are some 2,300 unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors in Greece. Being caught within the Greek borÂders, they hope that if they declaÂre their real age, they will receiÂve adeÂquaÂte supÂport and the proÂtecÂtion they are looÂking for – startÂing with being housed in adeÂquaÂte recepÂtiÂon centres.
Few improvements
OverÂall, theÂre has only been a small numÂber of improÂveÂments in the idenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon, proÂtecÂtion and supÂport of unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors in the past two years. For examÂpÂle, the numÂber of places in shelÂters has triÂpled sinÂce March 2016. HoweÂver, the total numÂber of places in recepÂtiÂon cenÂtres still amounts to only 1,223, i.e. less than half the requiÂred number.
More than that, what has been set up with greÂat effort is in danÂger of colÂlapsing, due to very long delays in idenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon and asylÂum proÂceÂduÂres and the fact that more and more shelÂters are cloÂsing and proÂgramÂmes are coming to an end witÂhout being extenÂded. In parÂtiÂcuÂlar, five hosÂtels for unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors are expecÂted to be cloÂsed. At the beginÂning of July 2017, 1,218 unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors were on the waiÂting list for a place in a shelÂter, while 217 were detaiÂned in one of the RecepÂtiÂon and IdenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon CenÂtres (RICs) and anoÂther 94 in poliÂce staÂtiÂons and pre-remÂoval detentiÂon cenÂtres. HumaÂniÂtaÂriÂan orgaÂniÂsaÂtiÂons have voiÂced their strong conÂcern in a joint stateÂment.
Torn apart from families
TheÂse childÂren are trapÂped in a dead-end situaÂtiÂon, and in a recent comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtiÂon with RSA, expeÂriÂenÂced proÂfesÂsioÂnals in the field have chaÂracÂteÂriÂsed their situaÂtiÂon as a »ticking time bomb«. TheÂre are also quite a few childÂren whoÂse parÂents were forced to leaÂve them behind in Greece, as they lacked sufÂfiÂciÂent funds to move the whoÂle famiÂly togÂeÂther. The parÂents would conÂtiÂnue their danÂgeÂrous jourÂney to CenÂtral or NorÂtÂhern EuroÂpe by themÂselÂves, with the help of faciÂliÂtaÂtors, and would try to recoÂver their childÂren through famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon at a later stage, as soon as they had appliÂed for asylÂum in their destiÂnaÂtiÂon country.
Due to delays in famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon or reloÂcaÂtiÂon proÂceÂduÂres, hundreds of unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors have been waiÂting for months; a situaÂtiÂon exaÂcerÂbaÂted by Germany’s recent poliÂcy chanÂges (i.e. the counÂtry to which the majoÂriÂty has appliÂed to be transÂferÂred). SinÂce April 2017, the GerÂman governÂment has reduÂced the numÂber of affecÂted peoÂpÂle perÂmitÂted to traÂvel from Greece to GerÂmaÂny to a mere 70 per month. This chanÂge came at a time when it was estiÂmaÂted that theÂre are alreÂaÂdy over 2,400 appliÂcants in Greece whoÂse famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon requests had been approved.
Mental health in danger
IriÂda PanÂdiÂri – who is responÂsiÂble for seven shelÂters for unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors at ARSIS NGO – reports that the menÂtal health of childÂren is at risk due to theÂse delays, and serious psychÂiaÂtric inciÂdents and suiÂciÂde attempts are on the rise. »The fact that theÂre are theÂse month-long delays for childÂren who have alreÂaÂdy receiÂved the perÂmit to traÂvel and who could have been alreÂaÂdy reuÂniÂted with their famiÂlies abroad, also slows down the proÂcess of freeÂing up places in shelÂters, which could in turn be used to accomÂmoÂdaÂte other childÂren who are waiÂting for a place or are even in cusÂtÂody,« PanÂdiÂri points out.
TheÂre is also the fear that due to chanÂges in funÂding and the newÂly introÂduÂced pre-conÂdiÂtiÂons for the conÂsÂtrucÂtion of shelÂters, theÂre will be a furÂther reducÂtion of the alreÂaÂdy insufÂfiÂciÂent numÂber of places in shelÂters. If this hapÂpens, the detentiÂon periÂod of unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors will be extenÂded again to six months, as was the case during 2013 and 2014. This would have draÂmaÂtic conÂseÂquenÂces for the menÂtal health of the children.
Detention under degrading conditions
TheÂre are alreÂaÂdy seveÂral unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors housed in unsuiÂtaÂble conÂdiÂtiÂons in temÂpoÂraÂry accomÂmoÂdaÂtiÂon cenÂtres with adults, and some are even homeÂlÂess. The numÂber of detaiÂned minors who are locked up for months under degraÂding conÂdiÂtiÂons, unsuiÂtaÂble for their phyÂsiÂcal and menÂtal health, has also increased. IndeÂed – as noted during a recent visit by ARSIS at the pre-remÂoval detentiÂon centÂre for forÂeigÂners, AmygÂdaÂleÂza (PROKEKA), the mediÂcal age assessÂment of many unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors was carÂriÂed out by incomÂpeÂtent opeÂraÂtors – nameÂly the HelÂleÂnic PoliÂce – and outÂside of any legal frameÂwork, guaÂranÂtees and procedures.
»Many of theÂse kids are on the brink of colÂlapÂse. The main reason they end up on the streets is that they feel trapÂped, witÂhout a way out, even if they stay in one of the shelters.«
The real numÂber of childÂren currÂentÂly living in Greece is unknown, and they have almost no supÂport when tryÂing to proÂve their actuÂal age. With the deparÂtuÂre of the NGOs that were dealÂing with this parÂtiÂcuÂlar issue in the RICs, theÂse difÂfiÂculÂties are only thought to increase. FurÂtherÂmoÂre, a funcÂtioÂning guarÂdiÂanÂship sysÂtem – which would ensuÂre that minors are accomÂpaÂnied, supÂportÂed and proÂtecÂted through the proÂceÂduÂres of idenÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon, asylÂum, famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon or reloÂcaÂtiÂon – still has not been set up, despiÂte the fact that this is long overdue.
The only scope is survival
In the worst-case sceÂnaÂrio – due to a lack of prompt and sufÂfiÂciÂent legal resettÂleÂment proÂceÂduÂres to other EU countÂries – unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors end up comÂpleÂteÂly unproÂtecÂted, as vicÂtims of vioÂlence and exploÂitaÂtiÂon on the streets of Greece’s cities, or even in the hands of smuggÂling netÂworks.
»Many of theÂse kids are on the brink of colÂlapÂse. The main reason they end up on the streets is that they feel trapÂped, witÂhout a way out, even if they stay in one of the shelÂters. SinÂce the EU-TurÂkey Deal in March 2016, this pheÂnoÂmeÂnon has been increÂasing, due to the fact that the only way out is the one that the trafÂfiÂckers »sell« them. TheÂse childÂren try to stay unseen and inviÂsiÂble in the hope of finÂding a clanÂdesÂtiÂne way to leaÂve. SinÂce the beginÂning of the year the situaÂtiÂon has becoÂme so serious that they do not end up in illeÂgaÂliÂty just to make the money they requiÂre to conÂtiÂnue their jourÂney, but mereÂly to surÂviÂve,« says Tasos SmeÂtoÂpouÂlos of the Social ProÂject »Steps«, a small outÂreach orgaÂniÂsaÂtiÂon in the centÂre of Athens. Some reach the point of risÂking their lives in order to firstÂly leaÂve the AegeÂan Islands for the mainÂland and then later on to leaÂve Greece via the port cities of Patras or IgoÂuÂmeÂnitÂsa, hiding insiÂde trucks or other vehicÂles – as has been hapÂpeÂning for decades.
Adulthood, and then what?
Many of theÂse childÂren know that as soon as they turn 18, they are in danÂger of being deporÂted, of losing their chanÂce for famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon, or of ending up on the streets witÂhout any help. »We have the verÂbal comÂmitÂment that childÂren who are still in the proÂcess of famiÂly reuniÂfiÂcaÂtiÂon and turn 18 while still in Greece, will still be transÂferÂred to the countÂries that acceptÂed them while they were still minors. The law leaÂves it at the disÂcreÂtiÂon of the staÂte of accepÂtance. We are afraid that evenÂtualÂly theÂse young peoÂpÂle will be forced to stay here,« says Mrs PanÂdiÂri. The places in shelÂters or other strucÂtures that exist for theÂse young adults are scarÂce and insufÂfiÂciÂent to meet the overÂall need – not to menÂtiÂon the lack of releÂvant proÂgramÂmes and supÂport services.
NevertÂhelÂess, theÂre has been a recent increase in the numÂber of unacÂcomÂpaÂnied minors, but also thoÂse who have reaÂched the age of 18 ultiÂmÂateÂly deciÂding to remain in Greece. Due to recent deveÂloÂpÂments, they fear that if they do manaÂge to traÂvel clanÂdesÂtiÂneÂly to anoÂther EuroÂpean counÂtry, they might be returÂned back to Greece. At the end of 2016, the EuroÂpean ComÂmisÂsiÂon proÂpoÂsed the graÂduÂal resumpÂtiÂon of DubÂlin III Returns to Greece from March 15th, 2017. That decisÂiÂon was based on their view that Greece had made sufÂfiÂciÂent proÂgress in terms of the improÂveÂment of recepÂtiÂon conÂdiÂtiÂons, regisÂtraÂtiÂon proÂceÂduÂres for refuÂgees, and the funcÂtioÂning of the asylÂum system.
No prospects for integration
The reaÂliÂty, howeÂver, is that for theÂse childÂren and young peoÂpÂle theÂre are virÂtualÂly no proÂsÂpects for inteÂgraÂtiÂon, nor are theÂre any releÂvant staÂte initiaÂtiÂves worth menÂtioÂning. For examÂpÂle, the pilot proÂgramÂme for agriÂculÂtuÂral traiÂning for refuÂgees aged 15–18 who live in shelÂters in AttiÂca and CenÂtral MaceÂdoÂnia – which was announÂced recentÂly by the Greek governÂment – was severÂely criÂtiÂcisÂed by many organisations.
Amman* from AfghaÂniÂstan is 17 years old. »I lost all my rights in Greece. I was locked up for more than a year on an island in the AegeÂan, in a tent, and I strugÂgÂled to corÂrect my age until theÂre was place for me in a shelÂter for minors and to record my asylÂum appliÂcaÂtiÂon with the corÂrect perÂsoÂnal data. In a few months I will turn 18 and I will be on the streets. WheÂre will I go? What am I going to do? Who will help me?« he asks.
* Name changed
About Refugee Support Aegean
RefuÂgee SupÂport AegeÂan (RSA) is a Greek non-proÂfit orgaÂnizaÂtiÂon focuÂsing on straÂteÂgic litiÂgaÂtiÂons in supÂport of refuÂgees, moniÂtoÂring human rights vioÂlaÂtiÂons, as well as the proÂviÂsiÂon of legal, social and humaÂniÂtaÂriÂan supÂport in indiÂviÂduÂal cases. MemÂbers of the orgaÂnizaÂtiÂon are based on the islands and on the mainÂland and visit difÂfeÂrent parts of Greece in order to docuÂment the situaÂtiÂon theÂre. RSA is the impleÂmenÂting partÂner of the PRO ASYL founÂdaÂtiÂon proÂject RSPA-RefuÂgee SupÂport ProÂgram AegeÂan in Greece.