{"id":29503,"date":"2020-12-22T10:44:20","date_gmt":"2020-12-22T08:44:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.arsis.gr\/?p=29503"},"modified":"2020-12-22T10:44:20","modified_gmt":"2020-12-22T08:44:20","slug":"refugees-in-greece-risk-of-homelessness-and-destitution-for-thousands-during-winter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arsis.gr\/en\/refugees-in-greece-risk-of-homelessness-and-destitution-for-thousands-during-winter\/","title":{"rendered":"Refugees in Greece: risk of homelessness and destitution for thousands during winter."},"content":{"rendered":"

As winter closes in, thousands of refugees in Greece still face homelessness and destitution. While\nwinter always poses a challenge, this year is likely to become one of the most challenging yet due\nto the ongoing pandemic, a deliberate decrease in the length of support for refugees, and the lack\nof a comprehensive integration strategy and strategy against homelessness from authorities.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Around 11,000 people who were granted asylum were notified amidst a global pandemic that they\nwere going to face forced exits from apartments for vulnerable people (ESTIA), hotel rooms under\nthe Temporary Shelter and Protection program (FILOXENIA), accommodation in camps on the\nislands and on the mainland. These forced exits follow a government policy where refugees are\nforced to \u2018stand on their own feet and fend for themselves\u2019 within one month after protection\nstatus is granted, resulting in an end to accommodation, access to food support, and EU funded\ncash assistance.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The EU-funded HELIOS Integration Support program has enrolled 22,980 refugees, but so far only\n9,203 people have been able to access rental subsidies. For a great number of people it will not be\npossible or feasible to receive HELIOS support. Many refugees have been unable to access social\nrights such as a social security number (PAAYPA), a tax number (AFM) or a bank account, necessary\nto get a job or rent an apartment, because of bureaucratic obstacles, language barriers and\ndiscrimination. The HELIOS program provides a good start but cannot substitute a comprehensive\nintegration strategy that takes into account that integration efforts need to start from the\nreception stage.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Civil society organisations are especially concerned about the many vulnerable refugees who have\nbeen forced to exit or are facing forced exits, including survivors of gender-based violence or\ntorture, people with health issues, including mental health, or disabilities, single women and\nsingle-parent families, young adults, and people from the LGBTQ+ community. Many refugees\nhave difficulties or are unable to become self-sufficient because of vulnerabilities or problems\naccessing essential services and the labour market. In the past, refugees who were asked to exit\nstate-provided accommodation ended up sleeping rough in urban areas or did not leave\naccommodation out of fear of becoming homeless.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problems with access to support and services are exacerbated for refugees in camps because of\nongoing Covid-19 restrictions and the often remote locations of these sites, making it nearly\nimpossible to search for housing, access services or find work. For many refugees in camps, food\ninsecurity is a constant risk as cash assistance is halted within one month while those not enrolled\nin the HELIOS programme stop receiving food assistance. The announced transit sites for those\nforced to exit their accomodation only provide a band-aid solution for some refugees and only\never for a maximum of two months. This period is simply not enough for people to become\nindependent and without proper support, the number of homeless people in cities will increase.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ultimately, there is a critical absence of a long-term sustainable strategy for integration and\ninclusion in Greece that results in increased homelessness and destitution for many people\u2014of\nwhom many are refugees. Civil society organisations call on the Greek government to:\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n