Duration: 24 months (15 November 2023-14 November 2025)

Donors: The Project is co-funded by the Directorate General Migration and Home Affairs of the European Commission (DG HOME)

Partners: IOM, Ministry of Migration and Asylum (Fundamental Rights Officer at MoMA), Cyprus Police

Rightlines

Description:

The project seeks to strengthen and streamline the respect, protection and fulfillment of fundamental rights in border management activities in Greece and Cyprus, working over the following main pillars:

  • Research, development and application of a national Fundamental Rights Strategy and a corresponding Action Plan in Greece.
  • Training and education on fundamental rights compliance at the borders, targeting border and migration management frontline staff in Greece and Cyprus, including the creation of relevant training material.
  • Awareness-raising, exchange opportunities and knowledge-sharing between Greece and Cyprus to exchange and replicate best practices, with eventual benefits for other EU Member States.

The general objective of the project is that the migration flows and cross-border mobility are well managed in full compliance with fundamental rights, with measures to ensure well-being, including health, security and safety throughout the mobility continuum.

**Download and read the project's leaflet.

To achieve this goal it is important to ensure that:

1) Integrated, non-discriminatory border management policies, strategies and systems comply with human rights, dignity, safety and security of all those on the move, including children and vulnerable migrants.

2) The Greek Government has the knowledge and skills to develop inclusive (non-discriminatory, gender-responsive and child-sensitive) immigration and border management policies, in line with international standards.

3) Immigration and border management officials, frontline and transit facility staff are able to take adequate protection measures, facilitate and support persons with protection concerns, such as victims of trafficking and smuggling, unaccompanied and separated migrant children, and survivors of Gender-Based Violence including sexual exploitation and abuse.

4) Regional-level initiatives are launched to support availability, access to, analysis and sharing of knowledge and best practices.

 

The Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO) at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum

The institution was established by Law 4960/2022 and the FRO was appointed in December 2022.

The FRO:

  • Αcts autonomously and is independent in the performance of his duties.
  • Εxamines, at a preliminary stage, complaints from third country nationals for alleged violations of fundamental rights during access to territory and/or reception and/or asylum procedures in Greece.
  • Transfers the admissible complaints to the National Transparency Authority or to other competent authorities, in accordance with the applicable legislation and he is kept informed of the progress of the complaints.

For this purpose, a Fundamental Rights Complaints Mechanism was set up and has been put into operation on 26.09.2023.

The FRO is also a member of the Special Committee for Compliance with Fundamental Rights which has the responsibility of monitoring the procedures and implementation of national, EU and international legislation in the areas of border protection and the granting of international protection.​

 

Photo cover credits

<a href="https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/closeup-diverse-people-joining-their-hands_12193015.htm#query=closeup-diverse-people-joining-their-hands&position=0&from_view=search&track=sph&uuid=6efa98f0-017b-4d41-a0fc-b5ddff7da21d%22%3EImage">Image by rawpixel.com</a> on Freepik

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