Caritas Cyprus-Κοινωνία and the Cyprus Refugee Council are regretfully witnessing an increasing number of asylum seekers and refugees without shelter and basic provisions with many forced to live in the open and on the streets.
Yesterday, families with children as young as one-year old had no choice but to sleep in a municipal park and are struggling to secure food. Unfortunately the problems are not new and our organisations, as well as others, have been warning for some time that the situation will continue to deteriorate.
The current level of benefits provided is inadequate; rent allowances are too low and their delay and inconsistency make it impossible for many asylum seekers and refugees to secure and maintain accommodation. Access to employment for asylum seekers is severely limited for the first 6 months and then restricted to sectors with low wages and few vacancies. Many offer no opportunity for families with children who require care or schooling.
We call on the authorities to take immediate action and provide basic and dignified living conditions for all and in line with international minimum standards.
Find the announcement in Greek here.