In Cyprus, due to its geographical location, the refugee crisis has a strong presence, with our country cooperating with the EU to implement reception and integration policies, while facing challenges due to limited resources and increased migration flows, says the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights, Maria Stylianou Lottidi, in her statement for June 20, World Refugee Day.
He adds that "the Refugee Law of the Republic of Cyprus, which has transposed into domestic law the relevant EU directives regarding numerous parameters of refugee law, defines the rights and obligations of both asylum seekers and recognized refugees, ensuring the provision of protection, dignity and equal opportunities."
Moreover, the Commissioner continues, the Commission, with the recent pact on migration and asylum, is trying to streamline the asylum process and share responsibility more fairly among member states, "however, at the same time, restriction policies and agreements to stem flows with third countries continue", while, in many countries, the rhetoric of "deterrence", hate speech and extreme racist speech are still observed.
As Ms. Lottidi notes, "what further burdens the already painful reality of refugee life are the difficulties faced by refugees in host countries, and this is because "despite international conventions and the legal protective framework, in practice, refugees encounter barriers such as social exclusion and xenophobia."
The Commissioner, in her statement, also cites statistics on the refugee issue, based on which, "in the last two years, the number of people who have been displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations or events that seriously disrupt public order has exceeded 123,2 million, a historical record, with an upward trend in 2024."
Of these, approximately 36,8 million are refugees who have been forced to flee to other countries, while approximately 73,5 million are internally displaced people who have been forced to flee their homes but remain in their own country.
Furthermore, as Ms. Lottidi states, "approximately 8,4 million people are asylum seekers who are awaiting, in conditions of uncertainty, a decision on their application in host countries, with children constituting almost 40% of all displaced people, with many living in areas affected by climate disasters."
The Commissioner points out that "behind these numbers are names, families, lost homelands, children who were born and raised without ever knowing the concept of stability, with Syria, Ukraine, Sudan and the Gaza Strip being just some of the most recent examples of collapses that are turning entire populations into refugees."
Source: KYPE
