Solidarity Cities is an initiative on the management of the refugee crisis proposed by the Mayor of Athens and launched in the framework of the EUROCITIES network. It aims to constitute the framework under which all cities actions and initiatives are presented highlighting the political leadership of cities in addressing this challenge.
In Italy, the System for the Protection of Refugees and Unaccompanied Minors (SIPROMI) is a publicly funded network of local authorities and NGOs, which accommodates unaccompanied children and provides them access to the Italian social protection system, including legal support, legal guardianship, access to health, including psychological counselling, access to Italian language classes and to mainstream education programmes. In some contexts, opportunities for vocational training and job opportunities through partnerships with social cooperatives and the private sector.
This project built on the progress to date in developing and implementing a framework and shifting perspective on alternatives to immigration detention (ATD) in Mexico, with the specific aim of fostering sustainability and empowering local stakeholders towards building preventative and community-based ATD models for the longer term through collaborative initiatives.
Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism (NSM) will be established to screen those who have protection claims in Thailand and grant a 'protected person status' to eligible applicants which in theory would protect them from arbitrary detention. However, many details remain unclear, including what protections persons with ‘protected person status’ will be able to access, and whether they will be protected from detention in practice. Discussions are ongoing for how this will be implemented.
This action was submitted through the GFMD Mayors Mechanism Call to Local Action for Migrants and Refugees.
Barcelona has a long experience of welcoming and integrating new arrivals and facilitates access to municipal services and programmes for all people arriving in the city, regardless of their legal status.
The UK Safety, Support and Solutions programme aims to protect migrants from harm. Migrant journeys, particularly via the Central Mediterranean Route, are extremely perilous, with migrants facing risks of violence, exploitation and abuse. This programme provides critical humanitarian and protection support to migrants at key junctures along the route. Assistance is offered to migrants in transit and upon return, with a particular focus on victims of trafficking, unaccompanied children, and migrants in very vulnerable situations.
The Law on Refugees, Complementary Protection and Political Asylum incorporates the concept of “complementary protection”. A person who does not comply with the criteria defined by such law to be recognized as a refugee, can be granted complementary protection to prevent their return to a country where their life could be in danger. Beneficiaries of complementary protection have a documented stay in the country, freedom of movement, access to gainful employment, as well as basic social rights.
In 2014 and 2017, Morocco implemented two regularization campaigns, which benefitted, among others, migrants with serious illnesses, women and their children, and unaccompanied children.
From 1 January 2014 to 31 January 2014 Morocco implemented the first regularization of migrants on an exceptional basis. The categories of migrants in an irregular situation who could benefit from the regularization were the following:
The Migrant and Refugee Orientation Centre is a place both to meet and to receive support, aimed at all groups and communities that make up the multicultural society of the City of Buenos Aires. It seeks to centralize activities of State bodies and civil organizations and promote initiatives, meeting the needs and demands of migrants and refugees. Its activities are divided into 3 main areas: 1) Guidance and support; 2) Job training; and 3) Sport and recreation.