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Description
The problems of refugees begin from the moment they arrive in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, where they are exposed to police violence and illegal expulsion from country. Those who manage to stay in Croatia and seek asylum wait up to two years to have their processes resolved. They have no access to language courses or other integration programs. They often lack basic information on how the system works, and even have no access to free legal aid. Once, despite all obstacles, they manage to obtain asylum, which unfortunately only minorities succeed in, the process of their integration remains difficult due to prejudices, low employment, language problems, insufficient qualifications, and difficult access to health, education and accommodation.
The Are You Syrious Association brings together about two hundred volunteers (e.g. highly qualified experts in supportive and related professions and retirees whose knowledge and life experience provide a valuable balance to the theoretical knowledge of younger volunteers and contribute to inter-generational understanding).
Project activities are: monitoring access to the asylum system, collecting testimonies of victims of illegal expulsions and reporting illegalities, and informing those who manage to stay in Croatia about the steps needed to exercise their rights. In addition to individual consultations, asylum seekers and their children are provided with humanitarian aid, Croatian language courses, job search support and support in school and integration.
Expected results are weakened influence of anti-immigrant rhetoric, increased share of people who consider the response to human rights violations as their civic duty and institutions to respond in a timely and effective manner to reported incidents, thus bridging the gap between the law prescribed norms and the actual situation on the ground, which ultimately leads to better protection and greater involvement of asylum seekers in Croatian society.