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Description
The project will strengthen the capacity of key government institutions in Greece, to uphold the rights of refugees and migrants and ensure dignified reception. The project will reduce the Reception and Identification Service’s (RIS) dependency of the international community to ensure dignified reception, child protection and site management and strengthen the capacity of the National Center for Social Solidarity (EKKA), to ensure protection of vulnerable asylum seekers, particularly survivors of human trafficking and unaccompanied minors.
The project will be implemented in 3 stages; first setting up and developing an operational structure, then applying the agreed framework while empowering local stakeholders and finally, identifying durable solutions for the continuation of its activities and hand over.
The project will include, inter alia, the following main activities:
* Deployment of international experts on the asylum, refugee and migration area
* Development of training modules and training of staff and local authorities to increase skills and understanding of practical application of principles of international protection
* Development of standard operating procedures, guidelines and tools
NORCAP will deploy experts to key national public institutions in Greece. These deployed experts will:
* Oversee, coordinate and perform functions to support successful implementation of RIS and EKKA’s areas of responsibility,
* Develop standard operating procedures/guidelines and best practices to ensure consistency in performance, accountability, and effective delivery of activities in the targeted thematic areas,
* Support capacity development for national staff in the targeted thematic areas through trainings and on-the-job support.
Summary of project results
The humanitarian situation for asylum seekers and migrants in Greece continues to be of serious complexity and concern. Asylum seekers, refugees and migrants who remain and continue to arrive in the country face harsh living conditions and multiple protection concerns. Greece hosts an estimated 110,000 population, among them people who arrived and remained in Greece since the 2015-2016 influx. Total arrivals in 2019, mostly Afghans and Syrians through sea routes, increased to approximately 74,000, highest level since 2016. In this context, Greece is called upon to develop its asylum and migration management system while at the same time constrained by a still ongoing financial crisis. In 2020, the national authorities are expected to increase provision of services for which they have limited resources. First steps have been taken with new national strategies and initiatives for the reception of migrants and refugees, and the government has also reviewed the legal framework for asylum and reception in late 2019 and again in 2020. NORCAP’s project aimed to address:
- The lack of protection and dignified standards in Reception and Identification Centres and sites on the mainland
- Protection gaps for vulnerable asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors and victims of human trafficking
- Scale-down of international partners leaves capacity gaps in reception
The RIS head office capacity’s gaps in several technical area
NORCAP''s this project has achieved the following:
- Seven experts worked in decentralized RIS sites (Chios, Alexandreia, Diavata, Lagadikia, Elaionas, Schisto and Koutsohero) developing or implementing SOPs/Guidelines according to identified needs and gaps.
- Twenty-six Performance Evaluation Reports documenting the impact of the deployments and acknowledging transfer of skills, systems strengthening and enhancement of innovative thinking.
- The framework of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for the protection of trafficking victims was established, enabling the NRM team of EKKA to receive and process case referrals.
- 99,8% of the forecasted target of secondment months of NORCAP experts to EKKA, RIS and MoH was covered.
-All deployed experts received and successfully completed induction training according to NORCAP standards either in specially dedicated sessions in Oslo or online due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
-12 SOPs and/or other guiding Site Management Support (SMS) documents have been drafted by NORCAP SMS advisers.
- NORCAP''s team in EKKA finalized the training module for the identification and protection of trafficking victims and ensured its approval by EKKA. Additionally, the NORCAP legal advisor drafted Training Handouts for Public Health Structures Staff, later adopted and shared by EKKA.
-NORCAP''s team in EKKA finalized the practical guide for the identification and protection of trafficking victims which
-23 missions, almost one per month, to roll out the NRM trainings were carried out. The number would have been higher if it hadn''t been for the Covid-19 pandemic, during which distance-trainings were delivered.
-100% of cases referred to NRM having a criminal proceedings aspect have been followed up in relation to their legal procedures.
-Effective coordination among competent authorities and stakeholders regarding the provision of health services to asylum seekers and refugees was ensured. NORCAP expert in MoH organized three coordination meetings regarding issues on AMKA-PAMKA-PAAYPA (social security and temporary social security numbers, as well as temporary social security number for foreigners) numbers and vaccination against Covid-19.
Based on NORCAP''s basic approach adopted in the project contract, NORCAP has achieved the following:
a. 26 experts in total were deployed in different roles (in close collaboration with EKKA, RIS and MoH) for the needs of the
project.
b. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed with EKKA, RIS and MoH establishing strategic partnerships and demonstrating the parties'' intention to build on our respective strengths and reach common goals.
c. To develop stable working relationships between NORCAP experts and key stakeholders at EKKA, RIS/MoMA and MoH (e.g., Secretary General for the Reception of Asylum Seekers, Secretary Special for the Protection of UAMs, Secretary Special for the Coordination of the Stakeholders, RIS Director, RIS camp managers, Secretary General of
Public Health). These well-established relationships created a space where advocacy and feedback from NORCAP were appreciated and taken into consideration.
Furthermore, NORCAP experts were able to respond immediately when emergencies occurred e.g., to the fire in LesvosMoria camp and the following establishment of the temporary Reception and Identification Center (RIC) in Mavrovouni.
This approach favored even more the adoption of our project goals by MoMA and RIS.