Greece

Working environment

• Greece experienced an unprecedented increase in new arrivals by sea, with more than 850,000 arrivals recorded in 2015. In response to this critical situation, UNHCR declared a level 2 emergency for Greece in June 2015, and significantly scaled up its interventions in the country. Between the onset of the emergency and the end of 2015, UNHCR quadrupled its presence in Greece, from 54 to 216 staff and affiliate workforce, with the creation of a Country Office to replace the previously existing National Office.
• UNHCR was strongly engaged in supporting first-line reception interventions on some of the Greek islands neighbouring the Turkish coast through the provision of protection and life-saving assistance. Reception capacity on the islands and the mainland was increased from 910 to 6,100 places by the end of the year and 500 places were made available specifically for asylum-seekers who had applied for relocation in Greece.
• In the context of the European Commission’s 17 point plan of action, UNHCR also supported the creation of reception centres within the context of the EU’s “hotspot approach” and mechanisms for the identification and referral of people of concern, as well as facilitated two-way-communication with asylum-seekers and refugees.

Population Trends

• Some 90 per cent of sea arrivals to Greece in 2015 came from the world’s top ten refugee-producing countries, namely the Syrian Arab Republic (Syria), Afghanistan and Iraq. Approximately 35 per cent of the arrivals were children, many of whom were unaccompanied and required specific interventions. In total, an estimated 47 per cent of arrivals were people with specific needs. In 2015, 619 asylum-seekers applied for relocation in Greece; 139 were accepted.

Achievements and impact     

• Protection and border-monitoring activities were reinforced at entry points and border crossings.
• UNHCR provided support to improve reception conditions on the main islands of arrival, including in Chios, Kos, Leros, Lesvos and Samos.
• The Office established measures to respond to SGBV and family separation, and strengthen child protection mechanisms, and referral mechanisms for individuals with specific needs.
• As part of a joint endeavour to step up protection services for the growing number of children and others with specific needs arriving in Europe, UNHCR, together with UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and other partners developed Child and Family Support Hubs (“Blue Dot” hubs), to ensure the provision of key services for children and families, including, child-friendly spaces, family reunification services, psychosocial support and legal counselling, safe areas to sleep for women and children, as well as outreach teams and information desks. Coordination with local partners was established to enable joint implementation in early 2016.
• Temporary emergency accommodation and transit sites were established in coordination with local and national authorities, NGOs and other humanitarian actors.
• Temporary facilities, such as refugee housing units and rub halls were winterized and insulated through the installation of heating systems. Refugees were supported with blankets, raincoats and winter clothing.
• The Office contributed to the legislative drafting processes by submitting commentary and opinions on legal acts amongst which were legislative amendments of the national legal framework for returns, which strengthen the safeguards against refoulement, and the transposition of the Asylum Procedures and the Reception Conditions Directives.

Unmet needs

• Access to asylum procedures in 2015, although secured for a higher number of asylum-seekers than in 2014, remained a challenge due to the lack of adequate processing capacity.
• Gaps with regard to assistance for people with specific needs, including SGBV prevention and response, psychosocial services and support for unaccompanied and separated minors, remained high due to implementation constraints.
• The quality and scope of services offered varied significantly by site and location. Further improvements and scaling up of services are required to ensure that all people of concern benefit from equal reception conditions.