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Refugee crisis in Europe An update. Refugees and migrants: causes and consequences. This presentation will cover. What is happening in Syria?. There has been a civil war in Syria since 15 March, 2011. This has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time.
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What is happening in Syria? • There has been a civil war in Syria since 15 March, 2011. • This has caused one of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. • More than half the country’s pre-war population are in need of urgent humanitarian aid – food, water, shelter and protection.
The situation in Syria now • Before the conflict, Syria had around 22 million citizens. • 8.7 Syrians are displaced within Syria. • 4.8 million Syrians are refugees in other countries. • More than 300,000 have been killed. Syria
Where are Syrian refugees? Most have stayed in the region around Syria. • Turkey: 2.7 million • Lebanon: 1 million • Jordan: 656, 400 Around 1.2 million Syrians have registered in Europe.
How is CAFOD supporting Syrians? • CAFOD has been working with partners in Syria since early 2012, ensuring that people affected by the crisis have food, relief supplies and safe places to stay. • We are supporting Syrian refugees in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan Turkey and Iraq.
How is CAFOD supporting Syrians? Lebanon We are working with our partner, Caritas Lebanon, to provide medical services. Caritas Lebanon also supports with food, shelter, legal assistance and with psycho-social counselling. Syria We are supporting Church partners in Syria, who are providing food parcels, medical aid and relief supplies and helping people to find safe places to stay, in areas held by both government and opposition forces. Jordan In 2015, our partner Caritas Jordan helped over 220,000 migrants and refugees with food, shelter, water and sanitation, as well as support for education and creating safe areas for vulnerable refugees. Turkey We have worked with our local partners to distribute food vouchers to vulnerable families and have supported counselling and child friendly spaces. Iraq We are working in Iraq to help our Church partners to respond to the urgent needs of families forced from their homes, with food, water and shelter.
What is happening in Europe? Turkey Italy Serbia Syria Iraq Greece Libya
Many people are taking the perilous journeys by sea to Europe. Many landed on Greek islands.
The refugee crisis in Europe • More one million refugees and migrants risked their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea into Europe during 2015. • The majority are fleeing conflict in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere. • More than 3,654 people have died while making the dangerous sea crossing to Europe so far in 2016. • The UN reports that 318,280 refugees have reached Europe by sea since the start of 2016.
Tents where refugees stay in Lesbos in Greece after arriving from Turkey. The islands are still trying to build shelters that can cope with the influx of people.
Many refugees are from Syria but others are fleeing from countries such as Afghanistan. This student from Afghanistan helped Caritas with translation. When offered a sleeping bag to say thank you, he refused to accept it as other people needed it more than he did.
Many refugees make their way through Europe. Several European countries have put greater controls on their borders. This has led to many people becoming stranded in terrible conditions on the borders of countries.
How is CAFOD responding the Refugee crisis in Europe? Greece We are directly supporting Caritas Greece (Caritas Hellas), who have been providing food, water, shelter, weather-proof and warm clothing and sleeping bags to thousands of refugees. Serbia We have supported our partners Caritas Hellas and Caritas Serbia with grants totalling £310,000. Greece In March 2016 we pledged £100,000 to Caritas Hellas to support them installing basic chemical toilets and shower facilities at Idomeni. In Athens at Piraeus Port, Caritas Hellas reached more refugees by providing food for people who were anxiously waiting the next stage on their onward journey.
What is happening in Calais? Calais D-maps.com
The Jungle • There are many refugees in Calais hoping to travel to the UK. • The main camp at Calais is known as ‘The Jungle’. • There are around 9,000 residents in The Jungle. • Around 50 people arrive every day. • The French President has called for the Jungle to be closed.
Life in the Jungle • Residents have only one meal a day. • People are living in very poor conditions and essential supplies are running out. • There are around 1000 unaccompanied children, who are especially vulnerable. • There are not enough toilets or water points. • Some asylum seekers are suffering emotional trauma.
Social spaces • Some refugees have begun to set up businesses within the camp. • There are also: • places of worship • meeting places • a clinic • a council of migrants • schools • kitchens.
What is Caritas doing in Calais? • CAFOD is part of Caritas Internationalis - a worldwide Catholic organisation whose mission is to serve the poor and promote justice throughout the world. • A branch of Caritas in the UK called CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network) is working closely with Secours Catholique (Caritas France) to assist refugees in Calais.
A brief introduction to CSAN • CSAN (Caritas Social Action Network) is the official agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales for domestic social action. • CSAN represents a number of charities that work with vulnerable people across England and Wales. • CSAN works to strengthen their network and conduct advocacy and policy work. • Their aim is to work for the most vulnerable people of society, providing support for families and children, the elderly, the homeless, refugees, the disabled, and prisoners.
What is Caritas doing in Calais? • CSAN works with Secours Catholique to organise volunteers in the camp. • 150 people volunteer with Secours Catholique to support refugees. • Secours Catholique have opened a new centre in Calais to welcome refugees in a dignified way and distribute clothes.
What is Caritas doing in Calais? • Secours Catholique also: • Welcome refugees as friends. • Provides activities like games, bike workshops and French classes. • Supports people to gain refugee status. • Speak up for the rights of refugees locally and nationally.
What next? • Further resources and how to respond to the refugee crisis: cafod.org.uk/secondary • Look at the lost family portraits of refugee families and find out more about their stories: cafod.org.uk/lostfamilyportraits • Find out more about the work of CSAN: csan.org.uk • Follow @CAFOD and @CSANwire on twitter for updates on CAFOD’s and CSAN’s work with refugees. • Fundraise, raise awareness, welcome refugees in your community and pray for those affected by conflict.