COUNTRY UPDATE: DENMARK

Transcription

1 COUNTRY UPDATE: DENMARK 1. Facts and figures about Main countries of origin of -seekers year 2005 Place Country Number of applicants 1 Serbia Montenegro Iraq Afghanistan Iran Russia Somalia 81 7 Stateless Palestinians* 80 8 India 72 9 China Nigeria 55 *Does not relate to the country, but people, having lived primarily in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq before arriving in Denmark. Evolution of the number of applications Difference +/- First applications 3,235 2, Rejections 2,447 1, Removals* Recognitions 1,592 1, Voluntary/mandatory returns Number of Dublin cases sent back Number of Dublin cases received Remarks: *The number of applications that was not processed due to disappearance or Dublin case-return to other country.

2 2. Political and legal developments All -seekers in Denmark are accommodated in centres run by The Danish Red Cross and two municipalities. Asylum-seekers with pending cases receive financial support from the state. They shop and cook for themselves. Recently arrived and rejected -seekers are provided with vouchers for a cafeteria and do not rejected -seekers, who do not cooperate on their return to their country of origin do not receive financial support in order to motivate them to return voluntarily. Denying rejected -seekers financial support and moving them to a secure centre restricts them from using public transport, attending sports and other activities outside the centre all of which is having a negative impact on the level of activity and community participation by -seekers in Denmark. This should be considered along with the fact that 70% of the seekers in Denmark are already rejected, and that many have been living in an centre for several years. All rejected -seekers who leave Denmark on a voluntary basis receive DKK 3,000, if they repatriate on a voluntary basis. In addition, the Danish Red Cross arranges all adult activities in order to prepare the -seekers to a most likely occurring return. Vocational training provides -seekers with skills that can be used both in Denmark and in other countries, and concerning language lessons they are free to choose between Danish and English. The schooling of children, which is in line with the public Danish school system, is in the process of being amended with mother tongue language lessons. 3. Asylum-seekers/migrants issues raised in your country The motivation strategy as mentioned above. The prolonged stay in Danish centres is believed to be one of the reasons for increased mental and physical illness among -seekers, and related to the lack of control over one's own life. So far, rejected -seekers have not been allowed to attend education and vocational traning, but the government is looking into changing that in order to keep rejected -seekers active and thereby reduce psychological stress and enable them to regain control over their own life and take some active decissions on their future In Denmark, the poverty experienced in other parts of the world is a subject to concern, also because of an increasing number of victims of trafficking and legal/illegal migrants who work in Denmark on a low wage or without payment, including in the sectors of farming, construction and prostitution, but also illegally in pimping, under-age prostitution, shoplifting, petty theft and selling drugs. Trafficking in women has been on the agenda for some years and trafficking in children has been in focus for the last year due to cooperation between Save the Children, Denmark and The Danish Red Cross.

3 4. Red Cross activities in the field of migration (, migration, irregular migration) International tracing and message service Administration and service of reception centres, children and extra health care centers and regular residence centres dealing with accommodation, health care, education of children and adults and voluntary work activation of adults. We are working to help the government and public understand the impact of alliance legislation on the physical and mental health and life situation of those it targets. We have in agreement with the Ministry of Refugees, Immigrants and Integration suggested a workflow and a division of responsibilities between relevant organizations and authorities in order to ensure that the child victims of trafficking receive support both while in Denmark and during forced or voluntary return, which they need in order to break free of the traffickers and which they are entitled to according to Danish law. We are operating a service of professional interpreters for use in communication between staff and residence and for external non-governmental use. We are operating a centre for traumatized refugees and -seekers. The users of the centre are referred to counselling by a doctor, a special centre for women and a centre for unaccompanied children. Since November 2005, The Danish Red Cross has run a government-funded project to protect child victims of trafficking and reduce the problem in Denmark. Besides assisting the children while in Denmark, we are also preparing a safe and socially sustainable return if/when the child is rejected residence permit in Denmark. The Danish Youth Red Cross and local Red Cross Branches are working in the field of integration by linking up branches with multi-ethnical organizations, helping out school children with their homework and supporting recreational activities in centres.

4 Target group Title of activity Description of activity Provider of activity within Red Cross (national headquarter, regional or local branch) Asylum- Seekers Operation of centres in Denmark Providing -seekers with housing The Danish Red cross operates seven centres in Denmark. Accommodation and basic daily support are the cornerstone of this work. The centres are closed to the public unless invited by a resident, but -seekers are free to come and go from all centres in Denmark. Asylum-seekers receive an allowance from the state and shop and cook for themselves unless they have just arrived or have been denied a residence permit in Demark. Asylum-seekers in this situation eat in a cafeteria and the latter group do not receive any cash at all. Single adults can be accommodated in a room with up to five other singe adults of the same sex. Families, also single parent families, have one or two rooms depending of the size of the room and the number of family members. department department

5 providing -seekers with education and job training Providing -seekers with day-care All children between the ages of 7 and 16 are provided with schooling according to the Danish school act, but run in the centres by the Danish Red Cross. Only children with good Danish language skills are in agreement with the local school and the Red Cross School allowed into local schools. All youngsters and adults are offered activities in the form of internships inside and outside the centres, together with courses in Danish and English, and computer skills and workshops that seek to prepare them for the skilled and unskilled labour market both in their home country and in Denmark. Asylum-seekers are not allowed to work. The extent of their right to participate in these activities is dependent on their case and determined by the immigration service. The size of the allowance they get is determent both by the state of their case and their participation in activities. All adults must participate in cleaning and maintaining the community areas in the centres. All children between the ages of 3 and 6 are offered parttime day care, in order to receive a structured input, learn Danish and meet other children. This offer is also relevant to the parents in order to enable them to participate in job training and courses. department department

6 Providing -seekers with health care and social services At each centre there is a health care clinic with nurses, doctors and health visitors. At the clinic, all newcomers are offered a medical screening and throughout their stay, all -seekers have the right to consult the clinic. If it is necessary for the -seeker to undergo treatment or tests by specialists including psychologists and psychiatrists the immigration service must approve the payment of the treatment in advance. All children have free access to dentists and adults have access to dental treatment, if necessary. The social workers at the centres provide the seekers with personal and family counselling. The centre worker can provide work and career advice. Legal advice is provided partly by the Danish Refugee Council and partly by lawyers funded by the state, which assists -seekers when their case is looked into by the Refugee (appeals) Board. department Refugees Intercultural project Homework café Integration in the labour market Meet and eat with new Danes. Support for children who are struggling with their homework whose parents are unable to help them. Courses for unemployed women of foreign origin, which prepares them for the Danish labour market and supports them in finding work. Youth Red Cross voluntary work Youth Red Cross voluntary work Danish Red Cross Culture House Funded by municipalities as part of unemployment activities and the national integration programme.

7 Labour migrants Victims of trafficking in human beings (VOTs) Psychosocial trauma centre Psychosocial education No specific activities for this group, but they have access to several of the above and below mentioned activities. Specialized personnel in the centre for unaccompanied children. Individual and group therapy psychiatrists and psychologists for victims of war, torture, or other severe traumas. The therapy also includes physiotherapy and we are specialised in therapy of children. Families meet in groups and receive information about their possibilities in Denmark and how to gain access to society. Pedagogic personnel focusing on child VOTs either in the accommodation centre, or where they are relocated to for safety reasons or for juvenile detention. Danish Red Cross department, psychosocial trauma centre, selffinancing Danish Red Cross department, psychosocial trauma centre, selffinancing department, funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs Legal guardians for child VOTs Anti-trafficking network Professional guardians employed by the Danish Red Cross support the children and provide support as they come into contact with the authorities. The guardian is appointed by county authorities. Collecting information about child VOTs either in Denmark or passing through Denmark. Training of police and other public agencies and networking with government organizations and NGOs. department, funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs department, funded by the Ministry of Social Affairs International Federation Funded by Danish and Norwegian Red Cross and Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

8 Undocumented migrants Reception and accommodation All undocumented migrants in Denmark that come forward can receive the same support and benefits as seekers until they are returned to their home country. They are accommodated in centres and receive benefits at the same level as rejected -seekers. department, funded by Danish State Immigration