Europe Must Act Newsletter

Voices from the Camps: Living Conditions in Refugee Camps on the Greek Mainland by Mobile Info Team and Refugee Legal Support

23.08.2024

Dear EMA members and friends,

This month we are focusing on a campaign by Mobile Info Team & Refugee Legal Support, ‘Voices from the camps’, that highlights the living conditions and access to services in refugee camps on the Greek mainland. The report brings voices from the camps to the fore, based on interviews with 30 different people in nine different camps.

When we talk about refugee camps in Greece, we tend to immediately think of the infamous Lesvos camp. Yet, mainland camps are another kind of - relatively unknown - hell for people on the move.

Refugee advocates and rights groups have long called for relocating people to mainland Greece as a solution to the overcrowding and inadequate facilities on the islands. However, troubling reports from mainland facilities are now causing many to question whether these transfers truly offer a solution.

Camps in remote locations, isolation from Greek society, lack of interpretation services, inadequate psychosocial support, late and insufficient cash allowances, deteriorated housing facilities, overcrowding, and limited access to healthcare - the list of neglect and mismanagement examples in mainland camps is (too) long. Ultimately, Greece is failing to meet its legal obligation to provide reception conditions that protect the physical and mental health of people seeking international protection.

Mobile Info Team is an organisation working in Greece to support refugees and asylum seekers by providing them with information and assistance during their asylum procedures, in order to help them make informed decisions about their own futures. Refugee Legal Support provides legal support, casework, strategic litigation, outreach, training and partnerships to refugees and asylum seekers in Greece.

Together, they have carried out research on the living conditions in these mainland camps and we are happy to let them introduce their findings in this newsletter. To go further, you can read the full report here. 

Too often silenced, it is time to make the voices of people living in these camps heard and bring about change. The more we hear their voices, struggles and aspirations, the more we can relate to them as equals. A society's strength is measured by its capacity to care for its people. We know we have this capacity, so let's keep fighting to put it into action

- EMA Newsletter Team

A new report and social media campaign published last month by Mobile Info Team (MIT) and Refugee Legal Support (RLS), ‘Voices from the Camps’, has brought to light the severe living conditions in refugee camps on the Greek mainland. With attention often directed to the inhumane, EU-funded Closed Controlled Access Centres on the Aegean islands, the findings of this research reveal a similar picture of neglect and mismanagement on the mainland.

MIT and RLS conducted interviews with 30 residents of nine different camp structures across the mainland to inform this report. The testimonies provide a critical insight into the everyday struggles faced by asylum seekers in the country.

The report details how the locations of mainland camps - situated on former military and industrial sites in remote areas - exacerbate the vulnerability of residents who remain isolated from essential services and social networks in urban centres. Without adequate transportation, asylum seekers are facing insurmountable barriers in accessing legal, healthcare and social services. While these services ought to be provided by the state within the camp facilities, in reality, they are not. 72% of respondents reported that their basic healthcare needs were not met by the medical teams operating inside the camps. In fact, in Corinth camp there is a ratio of 1 medical staff member per 706 residents, according to data provided by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

The living conditions in mainland camps are inadequate, with respondents reporting dysfunctional air conditioning and heating units; broken showers and lighting; extensive mould; bed bug and cockroach infestations; and large holes in the ceilings and floors leading to flooding. In several locations, the Greek Ombudsperson has stated that these conditions contravene EU and national law on the reception of asylum seekers.

You can support the #VoicesFromTheCamps campaign by sharing posts on social media 👉 click here 👈 to find a digital toolkit including visuals and content.

The important insights and personal stories highlighted in the "Voices from the Camps" report resonate deeply with the mission of our own project, Raising Voices. Just as #VoicesFromTheCamp, Raising Voices is committed to putting a human face to the refugee situation, allowing displaced people to tell and share their own stories.

Through Raising Voices, we aim to amplify the personal experiences of not only those who are living through displacement but also those who work alongside them. By watching and sharing Raising Voices content, you can contribute to a collective narrative that seeks to humanize and bring attention to the experiences of displaced people.

We welcome and encourage the submission of stories in various formats—whether through letters, poems, videos, or voice notes. Contact us at raisingvoices@europemustact.org if you’re interested in sharing your story.

👉 Watch Zeineb's voice

👉 Watch Ali’s voice

Too busy to volunteer? Donate

Contribute to Europe Must Act's advocacy efforts by donating today!

Your donation will help us:

• Fund coordinators for our campaign projects;
  
• Train activists across Europe on effective advocacy techniques;
  
• Cover digital equipment and campaign-related expenses.
  
  

You can donate to our latest campaign here.

Our Routes to Relocation campaign aims to raise public awareness on the benefits of moving refugees from border areas to welcoming cities and communities where they can more easily integrate. Additionally, we are committed to providing education to local governments and authorities on the opportunities that migration presents and the available resources for supporting welcoming cities.

Do you have some time on your hands? Volunteer with us!

We continue to look for reliable, engaged volunteers who are passionate about protecting the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and centering the voices of people on the move and/or with lived experience. We need people to support and develop our movement in various ways. In our central teams, we need people for:

• Social media platform maintaining and development (Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LinkedIn);
• Researching alternatives to closed camps, and sustainable solutions to the current crisis;
• Advocacy work with our partners across Europe;
• Creating and editing audiovisual content for Raising Voices;
• Advising on diversity & inclusion;
• Developing our Press & Comms strategy and outreach;
• Advising and creating funding applications;
• Working with our Cities Must Act team to support our network of Chapters with planning their national and local campaigns, developing their social media presence, and researching local movements and political developments to ensure they are as effective as possible;
• Developing ideas and resources for Action Ideas/events with our Chapters, and working on creative ideas for raising awareness (eg art/music).
  
  

If any of the above or below sounds like something you want to do, contact us at onboardme@europemustact.org