Greece: UNHCR Aegean Islands factsheet

Sea arrivals continued mainly to Lesvos and Chios, but decreased this month to 4,100 people. The majority came from Syria and Iraq, and 59% were women and children.

The conditions in the deteriorated reception centres deteriorated further with asylum-seekers waiting to complete lengthy procedures while in inappropriate shelter with limited access to services. services for extended periods.

Several thousand asylumseekers endured cold and rain in tents or makeshift shelters without heating as the authorities struggled to make preparations for the winter.

Working with Partners

UNHCR supports the Government of Greece who coordinates the refugee response. The Office works with other UN agencies, international and national NGOs, state institutions, community-based organisations, refugees, and host communities through sectoral working groups on Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros.

Main Activities

Protection

• UNHCR provides information on rights and obligations, asylum procedures and offers legal counselling and representation to asylum-seekers directly and through partners. UNHCR identifies and refers people with specific needs to responsible authorities and service providers for targeted assistance.
• This month, a number of pregnant women on Lesvos experienced complications and could not be adequately supported due to the lack of ante-natal care at the Moria Reception and Identification Centre (RIC), known as ‘hotspot’. UNHCR is working to identify space in alternative accommodation for women in advanced stages of pregnancy.

Sexual and Gender Based Violence

• UNHCR provides capacity building to humanitarian organisations and authorities on sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) prevention and response, organizes awareness campaigns and conducts trainings to actors from various sectors on how to integrate SGBV guidelines in their everyday work.
• UNHCR and partners have also developed referral pathways so that survivors of SGBV receive appropriate help.

Child Protection

• UNHCR supports the identification of children at risk and assists in building the expertise of national and local actors. UNHCR coordinates with humanitarian actors and stakeholders to monitor and develop Standard Operating Procedures and minimum standards to enhance the protection of children.
• There are some 450 unaccompanied children at the RICs on the islands who are awaiting referral to shelters according to UNHCR’s estimates. Not enough shelters exist on the islands to accommodate all unaccompanied and separated children.

Education

• UNHCR is working with partners to explore options for non-formal education where formal education is not yet available and runs recreational spaces to ensure that the development and well-being of refugee children and youth is supported in a conducive learning environment.
• In collaboration with the University of Aegean on Lesvos and Samos, UNHCR facilitates classes in 12 European languages for adult and child asylum-seekers through the European Commission’s online learning programme.

 

Original source and full report: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Published on 16 November 2017