THE INVISIBLE BORDERS:
Migrant Destitution in Europe
Policy makers
and civil society call on EU governments to end policies
that discriminate against migrants
Brussels, 30
March 2011 – The rights of all migrants must be
protected, regardless of their legal status. This was
the central message expressed by participants at a JRS
conference held yesterday in Brussels on the destitution
of migrants in Europe.
Conference
participants, numbering 100 persons from trade unions,
migration organisations, governments, as well as
education and medical associations, criticised EU
government policies that exclude migrants from society
and make them destitute.
In a keynote
speech, Ms Jean Lambert, MEP, called on member states to
“stop criminalizing people for wanting to meet their
basic needs”. Solutions to stem migrant destitution
include amending EU law to grant asylum seekers means to
become more self-sufficient, and monitoring member state
legal and social practices towards undocumented
migrants. Including migrants within the EU’s
anti-poverty strategy is an absolute necessity.
“Governments ought to understand the risks that
destitution poses to public policy. It is a pan-European
problem, and we have to do something about it”.
Mr Simon
Tesfamichael, an Eritrean refugee living in Italy,
presented his personal experiences of living destitute
in Rome. After a treacherous journey through Sudan and
Libya, where conditions were as unsafe as in Eritrea, he
arrived to Lampedusa and found his way to Rome, where he
was granted refugee status. “I got my freedom. But I had
no support from the Italian government. In Rome, I
joined a group of 500 migrants living under a bridge. My
medical condition worsened, but JRS Italy helped me to
access medical treatment”. He learned Italian on his
own, but since the Italian state offers no integration
support to refugees, he remained mired in destitution.
“I lived in a wooden shack. I learned the language but
could not become self-sufficient. I didn’t have help to
find a job. In Italy, refugees have no rights”, says Mr
Tesfamichael.
The destitution
of migrants in Europe is caused by a variety of factors.
In Germany and Romania, holders of a ‘toleration’ status
have little to no access to public housing and
healthcare. Asylum seekers in the United Kingdom cannot
work while they await a decision on their application,
which can take many months. Migrants living in Italy
fear seeking medical treatment since medical personnel
might report them to local authorities.
The solution,
according to Mr Stefan Kessler of JRS, lies with
creating networks that can place pressure on EU
governments. “The destitution of migrants concerns all
sectors of civil society, from employers to educators,
doctors and to policy makers. Together we agreed that
human rights should not depend on one’s legal status.
The EU and its member states are obligated to care for
all persons within their territory”.
Contact
information:
Philip Amaral,
Policy and Communications Officer
JRS European Regional Office
Tel: +3222503223;
Mobile: +32485173766;
europe.advocacy@jrs.net;
www.jrseurope.org
Notes to
the Editor:
-
JRS is present in 50 countries around the world. The
12 offices in Europe provide direct services to
destitute migrants and their families, including
material help such as food or shelter, as well as
legal advice and social support.
-
Conference
photographs, as well as interviews with national JRS
representatives, can be arranged upon request.
Interviews with Mr Simon Tesfamichael may be
arranged via JRS Europe.
-
Facts and
figures on migrant destitution in Europe can be
found on
www.jrseurope.org.
THE CONFERENCE WAS ORGANISED BY JRS-EUROPE IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH:
Caritas Europa – Cei Migra - European Federation of
National Organisations Working With The Homeless -
European Network for Homeless and Mentally Ill People -
European Public Health Alliance - European Trade Union
Confederation - JRS Germany –
JRS Italy/Centro Astalli – JRS Malta – JRS Portugal –
JRS Romania – JRS Ukraine - JRS United Kingdom -
Médecins du Monde - Platform
for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants -
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Bureau
for Europe
This conference is funded by:
