MLP in gender equality seminar - Support services for victims of violence in asylum and migration, February 2018, Greece

The Mutual Learning seminar ‘Support services for victims of violence in asylum and migration’, held in Athens in February 2018, focused on the Greek ‘Protocol of Cooperation’ as a good practice example.

The General Secretariat for Gender Equality (GSGE, Ministry of Interior) developed the Protocol in 2017 as a response to provide protection and support for refugee women at risk of gender-based violence. It constitutes an innovative, coordinated, and gender-sensitive network of services for vulnerable refugee women, who are victims of gender-based violence (GBV), and their children. It utilises existing resources and services to help staff in public administration, municipalities, and NGOs to cooperate and find common solutions. The Protocol coordinates services provided through the ‘National Network of Structures for Preventing and Combating Violence against Women’, comprising 40 Counselling Centres, 21 Shelters and a 24-hour SOS helpline. The Protocol has thus been instrumental in challenging existing structures and services to meet the needs of refugee women and their children. It represents a pro-active and positive response to the need to expand existing national protection structures. Under the Protocol, specific gender-sensitive procedures exist for admission to shelters, for medical examinations, and other services for women living in refugee camps. Data is also collected by the Hellenic Agency for Local Development and Local Government, and the database is regularly updated.

The discussion among the seminar participants was very lively and focused on the challenges, good practices and recommendations for improving policy and service provision in this field. One of the main challenges discussed was the identification of GBV, and how to reach extremely vulnerable women, such as refugees. Good practices in this field include provision of multi-disciplinary support services, training of service providers, provision of culturally and linguistically relevant and accessible information for refugee women about their rights, and courses for men raising awareness about the negative impact of unequal gender roles. Overall recommendations focused on the need for strong legal and policy frameworks, a gender-sensitive approach in the asylum process, improved systems for identifying victims of GBV, provision of culturally appropriate information and services, and better data collection. The importance of awareness and training on gender-sensitive and culturally sensitive approaches was stressed, as well as providing service providers with tools for identifying and addressing GBV concerning refugee women and asylum seekers. Participants stressed the importance of greater efforts to guarantee the safety and protection of women and girls in reception centres, for example, through safety protocols, and educational and childcare support for women in the centres. Finally, recommendations were made for improved coordination and exchange of information and good practices across the Member States.

The Greek officials also organised a site visit to Schisto, a refugee camp currently housing 850 people. The visit involved a guided tour through the camp and provision of information on the services provided (medical, psychosocial support, legal, educational, cultural, family unification etc.). Participants of the seminar vocally welcomed the site visit as a way to see policy in action on the ground.