Access to healthcare and living conditions of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Cyprus, Malta, Poland and Romania
This report published in March 2011 presents the results of multi-disciplinary research into access to healthcare for asylum seekers and undocumented migrants in Cyprus, Malta, Poland and Romania.
It reports on legal rights and entitlements as regards their access to healthcare and presents the findings of a quantitative survey with asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. The report reveals pathogenic living conditions and important legal and practical barriers in accessing healthcare for these populations.
The information and recommendations of this report are aimed at policy makers, health professionals, NGOs and the general public in the hope of bringing about an improvement in the health situation of asylum seekers and undocumented migrants by guaranteeing full protection of their right to access healthcare.
Download the full report in English:
Are undocumented migrants and asylum seekers entitled to access health care in the EU? A comparative overview in 16 countries
This report gathers together the executive summary of the HUMA publication "Access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in 10 EU countries" (2009) and the results of a new piece of research undertaken in six more countries with the support of the HUMA partners. All together, this study concerns sixteen EU countries: Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom.
This publication will be available in 13 languages and is primarily addressed to individual professionals and organisations advocating for migrants' rights and for the right to health as well as to national and EU policy makers.
Given the legal nature of this report, the data could be subject to continuous changes depending on legislative amendments in the different countries. In this regard, one should be bear in mind that the information concerning Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom is from September 2009. The data on Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Poland, Romania and Slovenia corresponds to September 2010.
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Law and practice. Access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in 10 EU countries.
The HUMA network is publishing a first comparative inventory of the legislations in 10 European countries on access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers.
This first report of the HUMA network, Law and practice. Access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in 10 EU countries, seeks to provide an updated overview of the different systems regulating access to health care for undocumented migrants and asylum seekers in ten Member States (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK) and shows the existing discriminations in regards to legal entitlements.
This research has corroborated that the right to health is guaranteed neither for undocumented migrants nor for asylum seekers in the EU. In none of those countries undocumented migrants can access “the highest attainable level of physical and mental care,” as it is recognised by the main international human rights instruments.
Download the complete version of the HUMA network report or the executive summary:
Living conditions, health status and problems in accessing health care for undocumented migrants and their children
The Medecins du Monde European Observatory on Access to Health Care conducts, since 2005, surveys among the individuals seen by the different MdM associations, in particular the undocumented migrants who represent a large majority of the precarious people seeking MdM services. It points out the social health inequalities and the difficulties of access to health care in Europe.
In September 2009, the Observatory published its second report. It emphasises that undocumented migrants have not come to Europe to get medical treatment. Their living conditions are precarious and they have either none or no adequate medical follow-up.
This last report, based on 1'218 interviews made in 11 countries, shows that:
- the violence that undocumented migrants have experiencedbefore, during or after their migration - combined with the conditionsin which they live and work - are seriously damaging to their health.
- they face many obstacles in accessing healthcare, prevention andhealthcare coverage.
- these obstacles arise from restrictive laws, a lack of information,administrative barriers and discriminatory practices.
- as a result, their medical care is largely inadequate. 45% of healthproblems were not treated at all.
- there is not even any special protection to ensure that the mostvulnerable—namely pregnant women and children—are able toaccess healthcare. Only 48% of pregnant women received ante-natalmonitoring during their pregnancies
Ecumenical Prayer Service in Memory of the Dead
at the Borders of the EU
On the occasion of World Refugee Day, the Dominican Community and Jesuit Refugee Service Malta announce an Ecumenical Prayer Service (police permit still pending) to pray for those who are in need of protection in Europe and to pray for those who have died trying to reach the EU. Estimated time: 25 minutes.
Saturday, 12 June 2010
Tigne Seafront, Sliema (see map below)
Time: 6.15pm
For those who wish, Sunday Mass in Maltese will be celebrated in the Dominican Church of Jesus of Nazareth, across the street, at 7.00pm.
Churches and civil rights groups in several European countries will, for the first time, on 20th June 2010, highlight the lethal consequences of the sealing off of the outer borders of the EU. The sealing off is done through a highly developed technical border security, through the removal of and transfer of border security into the neighbouring and transit states of the EU and through re-admission agreements on refugee return with neighbouring and transit states even if this violates human rights.
Churches and human rights groups in the United States of America, where countless migrants die at the border with Mexico, want to join in this initiative.
The churches want to commemorate in prayers the nameless dead who died at sea or in the desert without leaving a trace. Their lament, not heard by the people, should be brought before God. What takes place at the borders – far away from public knowledge or control - should be brought to the attention of the public.
This prayer service is being held in support of the intiative Migration 2010 – European Churches responding to Migration promoted by by the CCME – Churches’ Commission for Migrants in Europe (German Ecumenical Committee on Church Asylum).
This is not an action or a campaign. This is an act of worship. The place, where we are searching, struggling for the Word. If we take this seriously, our words will have the power to heal.
Fanny Dethloff, German Ecumenical Committee on Church Asylum
We trust in your understanding for the very short notice, as we still do not have the police permit in hand. Kindly confirm your attendance by Friday, using the contact details below.
S T A L O Y S I U S ’ C O L L E G E S P O R T S C O M P L E X • 5 0 , T R I Q I X - X O R R O X • B I R K I R K A R A B K R 1 6 3 1 • M A L T A
P H O N E : + 3 5 6 2 1 4 4 2 7 5 1 • F A X : + 3 5 6 2 1 4 4 2 7 5 2 • E M A I L : j o s e p h @ j r s m a l t a . o r g • . w w w . j r s m a l t a . o r g
J e s u i t R e f u g e e S e r v i c e ( J R S ) M a l t a F o u n d a t i o n i s a r e g i s t e r e d v o l u n t a r y o r g a n i s a t i o n : V O / 0 0 6 4
JRS Europe publishes new study on Migrant Detention
JRS Europe has published a new study Becoming Vulnerable in Detention (details below). JRS Malta contributed substantially to the research on the ground for this report.
08/06/2010 - JRS Europe presents new study on Migrant Detention
After 18 months of research in 23 European countries including Malta, the evidence is clear. Migrant detention causes harm to physical and mental health, even among those considered as the least vulnerable. The findings of this extensive study, Becoming Vulnerable in Detention, coordinated by JRS Europe and presented in Brussels today, coincide with the conclusions of research studies undertaken in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Read the executive summary or access the full report at:
http://www.jrsmalta.org/JRS-Europe_Becoming%20Vulnerable%20In%20Detention_June%202010_PUBLIC.pdf
A report launched in the framework of the DETERMINE project on health equity has underlined the long-term economic benefits of tackling health inequalities. These findings support previous statements by Commissioner Vassiliou urging Member States to invest in closing health gaps despite the economic downturn.