Limited access to health care services of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection in Greece

A new report by Diotima Center, the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) and the International Rescue Committee Hellas (IRC Hellas) reveals the multiple difficulties and barriers to accessing healthcare faced by people on the move in Greece. It includes reports and testimonials from applicants and beneficiaries of international protection in Greece, including their own experiences of healthcare services. The report was published in the context of the project "Do the human right thing - Raising our Voice for Refugee Rights", implemented under the Active citizens fund programme.

The report finds that people on the move in Greece have too often faced a lack of interpretation services, experienced racism from healthcare professionals, or long waiting times for appointments resulting in minor health issues becoming much more serious chronic conditions. In some instances, medical professionals have even refused to perform procedures (for example, abortion in cases of rape), or done so without consent (such as cesarean sections).

You may read the press release here and the executive summary of the report here.

The Greek Council for Refugees, in partnership with Diotima Centre, International Rescue Committee Hellas (IRC) and Popaganda, have the pleasure to invite you to the closing event of the project “Do the human right thing – Raising our Voice for Refugee Rights”, which will take place on Thursday, 30 June 2022, at 11 am, at the Auditorium “Antonis Tritsis”, Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens (50, Akademias str.).

Through this project, implemented in the context of the Active Citizens Fund, we had the opportunity to contact not only groups and communities of refugees and asylum seekers but also decision makers. We discussed about good practices as well as obstacles. We talked about solutions to issues and how, only with a house, a job and healthcare, can one enjoy equal rights in Greek society.

We invite you to see with us the story and the results of various aspects of the rights to housing, employment and healthcare, the rights to life!

* All measures aimed at preventing the spread of the covid-19 pandemic will be followed, as stipulated.

Event programme:

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Άρθρο Popaganda

Διαβάστε περισσότερα εδώ

Athens, 24 June 2022: Today, six Greek civil society organisations, members of the Informal Forced Returns Recording Mechanism established by the Greek National Commission for Human Rights in response to systematic push back allegations in the country, submitted a briefing to the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), covering systemic breaches of the rule of law and the EU acquis by Greek authorities. These stem mainly from the continuation of routine unlawful removal of people seeking international protection from the national territory, contempt of court orders and discrediting of European and international bodies responsible for monitoring and safeguarding human rights.

The briefing comes ahead of the hearing of the Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum at the LIBE Committee on 27 June 2022. The Committee has made crucial, consistent efforts to ensure scrutiny of Greek push back practices and of and respect for the rule of law, fundamental rights and the EU acquis over the past two years, including through hearings, letters, and over a dozen targeted written questions tabled by Members across different parliamentary groups (EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens, Left).[1]

The briefing is signed by the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), the Greek Transgender Support Association (GTSA), HIAS Greece, HumanRights360, the Network for Children’s Rights (NCR), and Refugee Support Aegean (RSA).

[1]           Questions for written answer P-1972/2022; E-1951/2022; E-1639/2022; E-1519/2022; E-1438/2022; E-861/2022; E-259/2022; E-5571/2021; E2697/2021; E-1667/2021; E-4857/2020; E-4566/2020; E-4168/2020.

To read the briefing, press here