Published : 05-09-2019
Palestinian refugees from Syria have been subjected to an abject humanitarian situation in Moria refugee camp, pitched on the Greek island of Lesbos. Migrants have reportedly been crammed in overcrowded and poorly-equipped tents.
Over recent weeks, Moria, one of the biggest refugee camps in Europe, has been running at three times its capacity with over 9,000 refugees. Recently, 600 migrants boarding 14 boats landed in the camp.
Overpopulated refugee camps cause a shortage of resources, not least healthcare. Often mental health issues are overlooked, despite many refugees having experienced severe trauma
Thousands of women and girls are trapped on Greek islands, often in horrendous conditions, due to a “containment” policy for asylum seekers, to facilitate speedy processing and return to Turkey under the EU-Turkey deal.
Last week, UNICEF warned that the number of unaccompanied migrant minors staying in overcrowded reception centers on the Greek islands exceeds 1,100, the highest level since the peak of the refugee crisis in early 2016, calling on European countries to do more to protect vulnerable children.
“We continue to appeal to Greek authorities to transfer children to adequate accommodation on the mainland, but Greece cannot support refugee and migrant children alone,” UNICEF’s regional director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva.
“It is vital that European governments increase pledges to relocate unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children, and fast-track family reunifications for those who already have relatives in Europe,” she added.
The agency also underlined its concern about the fatal injury of a 15-year-old Afghan boy last weekend at the hands of a compatriot of the same age in the cramped Moria camp on Lesvos. “This latest tragedy is a stark reminder that the situation in reception centers in Greece is at a breaking-point,” Khan said.
Built to house 3,000 people, the Moria facility is hosting more than 8,700, including some 3,000 children, according to UNICEF. There are 520 unaccompanied children at a special section of the camp which was made to hold 160. Overall, Greece is hosting more than 32,000 child migrants of whom 4,100 are unaccompanied.
Palestinian refugees from Syria continue to risk their lives onboard the “death boats” to Greece, rummaging around for a momentary respite from the daily scenes of bloodshed and destruction.
AGPS has kept record of the death of dozens of refugees onboard Greece-bound ships. Several others have been arrested by Turkish coast guards.
Activists estimate that around 4,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are taking shelter on Greece islands.
Palestinian refugees from Syria have been subjected to an abject humanitarian situation in Moria refugee camp, pitched on the Greek island of Lesbos. Migrants have reportedly been crammed in overcrowded and poorly-equipped tents.
Over recent weeks, Moria, one of the biggest refugee camps in Europe, has been running at three times its capacity with over 9,000 refugees. Recently, 600 migrants boarding 14 boats landed in the camp.
Overpopulated refugee camps cause a shortage of resources, not least healthcare. Often mental health issues are overlooked, despite many refugees having experienced severe trauma
Thousands of women and girls are trapped on Greek islands, often in horrendous conditions, due to a “containment” policy for asylum seekers, to facilitate speedy processing and return to Turkey under the EU-Turkey deal.
Last week, UNICEF warned that the number of unaccompanied migrant minors staying in overcrowded reception centers on the Greek islands exceeds 1,100, the highest level since the peak of the refugee crisis in early 2016, calling on European countries to do more to protect vulnerable children.
“We continue to appeal to Greek authorities to transfer children to adequate accommodation on the mainland, but Greece cannot support refugee and migrant children alone,” UNICEF’s regional director for Europe and Central Asia Afshan Khan said from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva.
“It is vital that European governments increase pledges to relocate unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children, and fast-track family reunifications for those who already have relatives in Europe,” she added.
The agency also underlined its concern about the fatal injury of a 15-year-old Afghan boy last weekend at the hands of a compatriot of the same age in the cramped Moria camp on Lesvos. “This latest tragedy is a stark reminder that the situation in reception centers in Greece is at a breaking-point,” Khan said.
Built to house 3,000 people, the Moria facility is hosting more than 8,700, including some 3,000 children, according to UNICEF. There are 520 unaccompanied children at a special section of the camp which was made to hold 160. Overall, Greece is hosting more than 32,000 child migrants of whom 4,100 are unaccompanied.
Palestinian refugees from Syria continue to risk their lives onboard the “death boats” to Greece, rummaging around for a momentary respite from the daily scenes of bloodshed and destruction.
AGPS has kept record of the death of dozens of refugees onboard Greece-bound ships. Several others have been arrested by Turkish coast guards.
Activists estimate that around 4,000 Palestinian refugees from Syria are taking shelter on Greece islands.
