Ιnter-Govermental Organization Report

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is supporting the government-led response after a series of fires destroyed the Reception and Identification Centre in Moria (Lesvos) in September 2020. UNHCR has scaled up its support for all asylum-seekers affected and urges for comprehensive and humane solutions to address difficult living conditions on Greek islands.

More than a quarter of the refugees and migrants who arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean routes so far this year were children. Many of them arrived without their parents. Some were accompanied by other relatives while others were traveling without any adults they knew. The arrival of children in such numbers is not a new trend yet children face major difficulties in getting the protection and help they need once they arrive in Europe. 

This month 800 people reached Greece from the land borders and 1,850 arrived on the Greek Aegean islands. This was lower than December’s 3,950 new arrivals. The harsh weather this month affected thousands of people staying in unheated shelter in the reception centres on the islands. The situation was better in mainland sites, overall better prepared for the cold.