UNHCR continued to be present at border locations, including at the six reception and information centres (RICs) on the islands and Evros, engaged in monitoring of procedures, advocacy and support to reception and identification service (RIS) staff in information provision, identification and referral of persons at heightened risk, sexual and gender-based violence (SBGV) and child protection case management, and community mobilization. Capacity building activities for RICs were intensified through UNHCR’s project funded by the European Commission’s Structural Reform Support Service (SRSS) with aimed to strengthen RIS’s capacity through a team of five experts.
UNHCR supported the transfer of 14,736 persons with ferry tickets from the islands to mainland sites, hotels and apartments.
UNHCR supported authorities with small but critical infrastructure, WASH interventions, and non-food items. Additional winter cash assistance was also provided. Protection activities were maintained, including monitoring, information provision, commutating with communities, services for persons at heightened risk, child protection activities, and SGBV prevention and response. New arrivals were enrolled in proGres v4 and non-formal education was provided outside the RICs. UNHCR’s interventions have been crucial in mitigating life-threatening situations, however, the needs on the islands are much higher and the living conditions remained dismal due to overcrowding and inadequate services.
UNHCR continued supporting Greece’s reception capacity through its Emergency Support to Integration and Accommodation programme (ESTIA) in more than 20 locations countrywide.
The capacity of ESTIA was gradually reduced from 27,088 places at the start of 2019, to 25,766 by year end. ESTIA accommodated 32,465 people of concern, of whom 29% were persons at heightened risk who also benefitted from protection case management, psychosocial support, transportation, and referrals to local health, protection, social, employment and services. 81% of ESTIA beneficiaries had a social security number (known as AMKA), and the enrolment of school aged children grew from 50% at the start of 2019 to 81% by year end. UNHCR provided continued guidance to partners aimed at harmonizing ESTIA procedures, while maximizing the protection impact.
Efforts continued to transition ESTIA to the Greek authorities through substantial reinforcement and capacitation of the responsible authority, the Directorate for the Protection of Asylum Seekers (DPAS), including through UNHCR’s seconded experts to support to development of the legal and operational framework. Regular coordination was established, focusing on programme simplification to facilitate the transition. With UNHCR support, DPAS, drafted the Ministerial Decisions regulating ESTIA’s 2019 operational framework. A mechanism for the gradual disenrollment of beneficiaries of international protection from ESTIA was set up in April 2019.
Overall second-line reception capacity was increased following the establishment of new camp-like open reception facilities (ORFs). By the end of 2019, 29,900 people of concern resided in camps or temporary hotels.
Reception availabilities for newly arrived asylum-seekers were limited due to increased arrivals, combined with low outflows from the reception centres. With the exception of three RIS facilities in the mainland, all other ORFs operated with the support of site management support (SMS) agencies under the coordination of IOM. Standards and conditions varied, with some ORFs unsuitable for long term living, especially those with emergency shelters (tents, rub halls). UNHCR continued its advocacy for improvements in the legal framework for reception and provision of support for the official establishment of ORFs, as well for the adoption of regulations and standards. UNHCR continued to regularly visit ORFs for protection monitoring and coordination meetings. These informed UNHCR’s related advocacy on reception.
Overall, minimum accommodation standards for reception conditions were met in 100% of accommodation places in ESTIA; 20% in the RICs; 55% in ORFs/hotels; and 15% in urban centres. This represented an average of 45% in 2019, when population distribution was factored in. Reception arrangements were adapted to assist 90% of persons at heightened risk within ESTIA, 15% in RICs, 40% in ORFs/hotels, and 0% in urban settings, for an overall average of 35%.
2019