Refugees and asylum seekers highlighted the need to meet their basic survival needs (housing) but also to participate in integration programmes to get to work, benefit from their skills, and teach the language of the host country.
In a Web – Press conference on the occasion of the completion of the ‘’AWARE’’ campaign, with the participation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Cyprus Katja Saha, representatives of refugees and migrants have also pointed that there is a growing trend of xenophobia. The pandemic further aggravated their living conditions and the obstacles they encountered for integration.
The UNHCR representative highlighted the problems created at the First Reception Centre for people in need of international protection due to overpopulation and isolation, as well as the need to make the most of EU funding and good practices provided by UNHCR.
The discussion with refugees and asylum seekers focused on issues related to their living conditions, the difficulties during the COVID 19 pandemic, their expectations and their efforts for integration (housing, education, jobs, health, discrimination, etc.).
The AWARE campaign is co-funded by the European Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and the Republic of Cyprus.
You can find the press conference here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhQkp3SoRg0
