Description
The Lithuanian society is well informed about the importance and the need to protect the Lithuanian borders from the irregular migrants, however, information about the need to ensure the human rights and dignity of all these persons is not sufficient. The Lithuanian civil society is not empowered to act as a watchdog due to lack of information about the existing issues and constant criminalization of the irregular migrants. We aim to strengthen the protection of rights of migrants and to change the societal attitudes towards them, by integrating the human rights and dignity dimension into the public debate on migration. The project raises two main objectives: a) A public campaign on the rights of the migrants implemented, mainstreaming the questions of human rights, dignity and protection. B) Advocacy actions, including litigation, implemented aiming to ensure the implementation of the migrants’ rights and protection of their dignity. The Project will target the very specific groups (migration authorities, civil society organizations, academia, schools, mass media, international organizations present in Lithuania), as well as the wider Lithuanian society.
Summary of project results
Due to the lack of information about the existing issues and the continuous criminalization of the irregular migrants and their presumed threat, Lithuanian civil society is not empowered to act as a watchdog. The project aimed at strengthening the protection of the rights of migrants and to change the societal attitudes towards them by integrating the human rights and dignity dimension into the public debate on migration. The project raised two main objectives: 1) to change the public discourse on migration by mainstreaming the questions of human rights, dignity and protection; 2) to develop and implement advocacy aiming to ensure the implementation of the migrants' rights and their dignity. The results achieved: in order to raise consciousness about migrant human rights a campaign was organized with the intention to increase awareness about xenophobia and racism; advocacy campaign was organized to point out the most critical aspects of migrant (human) rights, enabling state institutions to more effectively ensure human rights for migrants and their dignity. Various activities were carried out throughout the project implementation period: Red Cross charity marathon "When the finish line is just the beginning", International human rights summer camp for students, documentary movie "Almost Sweden", raising the debate on migration policy in Lithuania and presenting stories of migrants in Lithuania, various round tables, advocacy trainings and documents, strategic litigation in courts and social campaign. The project targeted both the very specific groups (migration authorities, civil society organizations, academia, schools, mass media, international organizations present in Lithuania), as well as the wider Lithuanian society. The effect of the project may be considered as increased sensitivity of state and municipal authorities as well as society at large towards migrants issues and difficulties - more discussions about the vulnerability of migrants are ongoing, possible solutions on improvement of social and material life of migrants are being discussed, media tends to less criminalization of migrants, etc. More Lithuanian NGOs were involved in several activities of the project as well as advocacy efforts, thus allowing them to increase their awareness and professional capacity on migrant rights.
Summary of bilateral results
Norwegian Red Cross provided professional contribution to the project be sending lecturers to the youth summer camp on migration, as well as a facilitator to prepare and hold a workshop on advocacy. Norwegian Red Cross has a long standing tradition of working with and for migrants, and these experiences were presented at the summer camp. In addition, the organization has further advanced and developed its advocacy work on behalf of migrants in recent years. These experiences were presented at the advocacy workshop. The relations between Norwegian Red Cross and Lithuanian Red Cross has undoubtedly been strengthened as a result of this joint project. Norwegian volunteers and Red Cross staff have gained a deeper insight into the migration situation in Lithuania and vice versa. The joint project paves the way for closer informal cooperation between the two national societies in the future. The partnership had a positive effect also on the group of Norwegian Red Cross youth, who spent a week learning more about migration issues in Europe and Lithuania at the summer camp. This has sparked further workshops/study trips regarding European migration issues amongst Red Cross youth members in Norway.