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Description
The new asylum laws in Greece introduced in January of 2020, in combination with the poor systems in place, a lot of people have and will lose access to vital human rights, including the right to asylum, adequate standard of living (housing, medical care and social services) and education. Along with this there is generally a lack of legal support, reliable information and understanding of human rights amongst the refugee and migrant community, which only creates an extra obstacle in accessing their rights.
The objective of this project is to inform youth about human rights and the related laws, creating a platform for these discussions to be had amongst the community and improve knowledge on this topic. It also aim to support the cases of people in the community that have had their rights violated, but also support them legally to access their rights before they are violated. Through these objectives the project also aims to take relevant action to produce relevant advocacy materials, monitor and report violations to relevant actors. Overall, it aims to increase support for human rights. These objectives will be achieved through informative group workshops, team training, legal case work and the creation of various advocacy material.
These activities will benefit displaced and disenfranchised youth, aged 16 -21, that attend Velos Youth Center, as part of the holistic alternative care model that it provides. The project promoter, Velos Youth, will run the activities from its center, in addition the team will support the project by assisting all activities and through administrative support. The partner, Equal Rights beyond borders will support this project by providing the legal knowledge and the lawyer.
Summary of project results
In Greece, the new asylum legislation, that started to be implemented in January 2020 and subsequently amended, further restricted the rights of asylum seekers. The Greek state''s reduced ability to provide adequate support to vulnerable populations, when combined with these legal changes, left many minors and young adults without meaningful access to asylum and their individual rights. The project had the objective of informing young individuals about their rights and the legal framework surrounding them. Additionally, it aimed to create a communication platform for community discussions, fostering knowledge and awareness of issues affecting asylum seekers on a daily basis. The goal was not only to support those whose rights were violated but also to encourage program beneficiaries to actively assert their rights. In essence, the project sought to provide comprehensive support for the rights of beneficiaries through education and personalized legal assistance.
Through the MyRights! project and in collaboration with Equal Rights Beyond Borders, the organization provided substantial support and legal representation for numerous young refugees seeking advice on their cases and subsequent follow-up. Specifically, a series of legal workshops tailored to the needs of young beneficiaries were conducted, featuring participation from the legal team at Equal Rights and members of Velos Youth. The primary objective of these workshops was to educate young individuals on legal matters, ministerial decisions, and to enhance their awareness of human rights issues. The repetition and execution of selected workshops were deemed essential for two key reasons. Firstly, there were explicit requests from the young participants, particularly concerning the admissibility procedure. Secondly, the workshops provided an avenue for the young beneficiaries to address their queries and stay informed about ongoing developments.
The project promoter, as part of this project, effectively informed and sensitized 54 individuals, all young men aged 18 to 29, on human rights issues. Moreover, 10 individuals received specialized training on human rights issues, a commendable accomplishment that strengthened the professional expertise of the organization''s team in legal matters. This, in turn, enabled them to better address the needs of the young beneficiaries. The collaboration with the Equal Rights lawyer was characterized by excellent communication and understanding of legal issues, with a documented total of 113 cases of human rights violations.