No Other Option: Testimonies from Asylum Seekers Living in Ukraine

22 June 2011|JRS Europe|Reports and publications

Related: Protection
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Published in June 2011. JRS Europe visited the city of Lviv to meet with refugees, asylum seekers and migrants living at a shelter managed by JRS Ukraine. Visits were also made to local government officials, as well as the Zhuravychi detention centre at the northwestern Ukrainian border. The report details the lives of forced migrants who endeavoured to seek protection in Europe but have become stalled in Ukraine. Tight border controls prevent many from entering Europe, and going back is not an option as many fear human rights abuse in their home countries. Consequentially, migrants become stuck in Ukraine, a country with very low refugee recognition rates and nearly no support services for migrants. Detention centres are built with EU funds, but with no funding to ensure its daily maintenance, leaving detainees without access to resources as basic as food.