Eric Raimondi, Still I Rise, Greece
My first two weeks working with Still I Rise (SIR) has been challenging yet rich. My first week consisted of orientation and a thorough introduction to my responsibilities over the summer. During the course of this week, it has become clearer what kinds of projects I will be working on. My focus this summer will be on reports released by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and how they relate to the Greek context, European Union refugee integration programs in Greece, and the impact of the new Samos camp on refugees. This will give me both the opportunity to focus on my stated interest in carceral camps in Greece while also engaging with other issues that Still I Rise is cares about.
My first task has been to review and analyze a UNCRC report, which was published on June 9, 2022. This report, “Concluding observations on the combined fourth to sixth reports of Greece,” reviews the state of the rights of the child in Greece. SIR has followed the developments of the UNCRC’s review of Greece for at least the last year, as evidenced by a report published by them before the start of my internship. In this most recent report, SIR raised specific concerns regarding de facto detention and inhumane living conditions, deficiencies in age and vulnerability assessment procedures, lack of access to asylum, and lack of services. Now, it is my job to integrate this previous SIR with the UNCRC report published this past week, to help determine if the concerns raised by SIR were confirmed, and to most importantly communicate this perspective in the form of a written press release to funders and other NGOs.
After an initial review, it appears clear to me that the UNCRC has officially acknowledged violations of the rights of the child by the Greek government and has thus confirmed SIR’s concerns regarding the state of refugee children and Unaccompanied Minors (UAMs). I believe these reports constitute a major victory for both SIR and other actors that advocate for the suitable living conditions, services, and access to asylum that are enshrined in the UNCRC.
Although my interests lie in the development of carceral refugee camps in the Aegean, this experience has introduced me to other important dynamics that affect refugees, and I am excited to see where this research project and future ones lead me.