In March 2017, the first European Qualifications Passports for Refugees were issued in Athens. This certificate will help refugees, who had to flee their countries, to continue with their studies or work. Nineteen candidate refugees went through individual interviews with experienced evaluators to ascertain their qualifications, for which supporting documentation is often missing. Fourteen were issued the European Qualifications Passport. For example Anwar, who left Syria with her husband and two young children, hopes to resettle, from the refugee camp in Athens, to another European country where she has family, as part of the EU resettlement programme. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Physiotherapy from Al-Baath University, her professional goal is to work with the elderly. Such a certificate should help her to work in this field and thereby, amongst other things, make a meaningful contribution to her new community. This initiative is a pilot project run by the Council of Europe’s Education Department in the framework of the Action Plan Building Inclusive Societies. Partners include the Greek Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs and qualification recognition centres in Greece, Italy, Norway and the United Kingdom. The UNHCR Office in Greece also supports the project.
Newsletter on migration and refugees - April 2017
newsletter summary
- SRSG publishes thematic report on migrant and refugee children
- Detention of asylum-seekers and migrants in border zones, migrants subjected to human trafficking and forced labour
- Commissioner concerned about detention and lack of integration of migrants and asylum seekers
- CPT publishes factsheet on immigration detention
- Congress adopted resolution and recommendation on migration
- Migration, refugees and displaced persons at the upcoming PACE session
- Guardianship, age assessment and prevention of sexual exploitation in focus
- First European qualifications passports for refugees issued in Greece
- CEB approves new lending projects
- Reducing migrants’ exposure to risks