IUNW Hails Lisbon Refugee Policy During COVID19 Crisis

IUNW Hails Lisbon Refugee Policy During COVID19 Crisis

The International United Nations Watch (IUNW) welcomes the move taken by Portugal to treat asylum seekers and migrants on its territory on equal footing with citizens. IUNW believes that the rest of Europe, where the pandemic is spreading and claiming the lives of thousands everyday, should follow suit in order to provide protection for asylum seekers.

IUNW welcomes the step taken by Greece to move asylum seekers to safety. Yet, this step alone is not enough as the government of Greece should provide healthcare to those who need it, as many asylum seekers and migrants in the country and elsewhere in Europe lack access to healthcare and accommodation.

“People should not be deprived of their rights to health and public service just because their application has not yet been processed,” Claudia Veloso, spokeswoman for the Ministry of Internal Affairs, told Reuters. “In these exceptional times, the rights of migrants must be guaranteed.”

Migrants and asylum seekers remain of the most vulnerable groups to COVID19 and European governments should uphold their commitments in relation to the treatment of refugees. The United Nations should pressure The European Union to make sure all refugees and asylum seekers during this critical time that humanity is going through.

It is time for unity and quality rather than leaving vulnerable groups alone in this collective fight against COVID19. The world is observing what is going on following the outbreak of the Coronavirus with sorrow and it became clear to all governments and peoples that only unity against this pandemic could defeat it. Refugees and migrants are part and parcel of this unity and that’s why all European governments should treat them on equal footing when it comes to healthcare.