Supervisors info:
Καραβοκυρός Ιωάννης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Κοντός Μιχάλης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Γεωργόπουλος Σωτήρης, Αναπληρωτής Καθηγητής, Ιατρική, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Since 2012, Syria crisis acquired an escalating regional dimension with many international endings, whereas many factors have engaged actively, such as states and humanitarian organizations in, and foremost, out of Syria’s borders. Specifically, on one side is Iran, the Lebanese Shiite organization Hezbollah, Iraq and Russia: supporters of the Assad regime and, on the other, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, UAE, U.S.A, Great Britain and France, supporters of extremist Sunni and secular dissidents groups, giving to this conflict of war a status by proxy. As a result of the conflict in Syria is the creation of one of the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The violent clashes that killed thousands of people having zero chances of survival in the areas bombarded, the economic collapse and thus the collapse of the social environment of the country, resulted to be removed from their homes within the country about 7.6 million people while creating a huge refugee stream with approximately 4.8 million registered refugees until June 2016.
A large part of these refugee flows directed towards Central and Northern Europe, from the coast of Turkey by “Mediterranean sea route” and opting Greece as a gateway. In years 2014-2016, Greece has accepted a huge wave of refugees through the “Mediterranean sea route”, which was approximately calculated to 1,071,211 people, whilst the largest crossing was calculated in 2015 reaching the outrageous number of 856.723 refugees and immigrants. The passage of refugees and migrants followed Piraeus port and then through Greece’s mainland to “Idomeni refugee camp” and, finally, to Europe. Among them were many children but also a lot of unaccompanied children. Greek authorities reported that unaccompanied children for those years were 9.790. At the same time, missing and dead people in the “Mediterranean sea route” reached approximately 12,293. In March 2016, borders were closed by the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and entrapped in Greece more than 57,000 people.
This paper discusses Greece’s management of humanitarian crisis for refugees and migration flows caused by Syria crisis and focuses, in particular, on the management of unaccompanied minors. It is to be acknowledged that the problem of refugees - immigrants is durable and timeless, but the intensity that occurred in that particular period is unprecedented and, in conjunction with the Greek economic crisis, creates huge administrative and financial problems to confront.
An important, but also essential and supportive role in the state in relation to the management of refugee - immigration flows play IOM players (IOM), such as UNHCR as well as Frontex, (from October 2016 was replaced by the European Border and Coast Guard, which intervenes if and when, emerged on refugee flows and appreciated that there is a safety risk), but also NGO’s recognized for their humanitarian work, the European Union (EU) etc.
In this paper, was generally investigated and issues are presented on the role of stakeholders, the coordination of these and how they dealt with the problem from the state’s point of view. Specific issues were explored about the conditions prevailing in the refugee residence areas regarding financial support and the mobilization of the EU civil protection
mechanism for the operation of relocation program.
The presentation of the International Communal and National legislation, with emphasis on scientific articles concerning unaccompanied children, revealed gaps and omissions from the Greek authorities part. Those gaps and omissions refer mostly to the management and decisions that have to be taken in children best interest as a principle provided in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (DSDP), as well as instructed in the Community and national laws and designated in the Guidelines United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
The management and treatment of unaccompanied children begins from the moment they enter Greek territory: Their reception and identification in centers of detention and their temporary stay either in these areas or in temporary accommodation spaces, until transfer to accommodation structures. There were investigated the conditions in these areas and how children are dealt within these premises. Data were drawn from the findings of field studies carried out by stakeholders and NGOs, which contribute to the management and treatment of this problem. In this paper a comparison of data drawn from those surveys was held in relation to the provisions of the legislative framework and the misleading paths taken. Furthermore, it was investigated the availability and accessibility of accommodation facilities and services, the issue of minors (regarding procedures to certify their exact age), the institution of guardianship, the access to education and healthcare. Finally, issue of family reunification and repatriation is mentioned with concern.
This present paper led to important observations that can lead to direct interventions. In relation to the choice of site and the creation of camps for temporary accommodation of refugees, it should be taken into account the likelihood of geodynamic and atmospheric hazards (eg landslides, unstable masses etc.), soil response in relation to the facilities to be set up there and the right location of the site defined with characteristics appropriate to people who will host and serve their needs. Daily and continuous presence of Greek state is needed in these areas through the personnel potential which will organize, coordinate and control the involved parts (eg agencies, voluntary organizations, etc.), but also will set and resolve issues that may arise, so as to ensure camp’s smooth functioning.
Children’s proper treatment require a regulation in the gap that exists regarding the application of the concept of child's best interests, by creating a binding protocol to regulate properly addressing children's issues in order to avoid phenomena of degrading and humiliating tackle. It is also essential the training and awareness of training staff that deals with children. Furthermore, it is highly important and urgent to secure care arrangements for unaccompanied minors, both for their safety but also, for their proper development. Solving immediate needs of minors, whereas the confrontation should be held through a multidisciplinary methodological approach, after having examined thoroughly all possibilities of proof of age through administrative documents. One of high priorities should also be the fulfillment of existing gaps concerning guardianship so that issues can be resolved in children’s interest related to education, health, family reunification etc.. Furthermore, it is
important to reduce and improve existing bureaucratic procedures so as they will respond directly to stakeholders in resolving issues related to children’s placement in accommodation structures, family reunification etc .. Finally, this paper results that the existing gap of interpretation should be filled as soon as possible thus it will solve acknowledged communication problems which, as observed, result in poor management in matters of crisis.
Keywords:
Refugees, Migrants, Refugees and migration flows, Non-refoulement, Sea arrivals in Europe, Sea Arrivals in Greece, Unaccompanied minors, Unaccompanied children, Age assessment, Guardianship of minors, Legal guardian, Best interests of the child
