The humanitarian emergency started on September 8, the day of the fire in the Moria camp, has never ended and actually is exacerbating the humanitarian needs of thousands of people, forced to move in a new camp set up in a few days from Greek government with the support of UNHCR.
An emergency solution, not a real solution because it leaves the drama of the unacceptable living conditions on the island unresolved and eludes the real issue of relocating people in need of international protection. At the limit of their strength, after more than a week spent on the street, families, women, minors and particularly vulnerable people accepted the only choice that was open to them; move to a camp once again. The presence of humanitarian organisations is crucial to guaranteeing them essential goods such as water, food, medicine, clothing.
The INTERSOS team immediately started distribution of basic goods to help the most vulnerable people, especially women and children. Since September 16, food and dignity kits, as we call them, have been delivered for the women and girls of the camp. To date, about 1000 people have received food kits, and 820 women – many of them survivors of gender-based violence – have been given dignity kits containing specific products for women’s needs such as sanitary pads, intimate soap. and also headlamps and a whistle that can be used in contexts of exposure to the risk of violence.
“As a humanitarian organisation we were among the first to think about women’s needs and to give an answer”, says Enzo Maranghino, INTERSOS Greece coordinator, “Many were moved when they received the kit and others asked to have more. Because this type of material is essential to guarantee and protect their dignity, in a context where this is constantly trampled on”.
For the next few weeks, women will continue to be the main recipients of INTERSOS’s humanitarian intervention. In a context in which thousands of people live in inhumane conditions, the risk of suffering violence, abuse, harassment is unfortunately dramatically high. This risk requires great attention and care by our team in being able to identify the most fragile people and initiate support and protection paths for their physical and psychological health.