Multi-Sector Needs Assessment of Migrants and Refugees in Greece

Europe, and Greece in particular, is facing a humanitarian emergency as the number of migrants and refugees arriving on its shores has increased dramatically. Authorities and agencies on the ground are struggling to respond effectively. Over 109,000 migrants and refugees have reached Greece by sea this year; with the figure expected to rise to 200,000 by the end of the year. Migrants and refugees coming to Greece are coming to a country struggling with an economic crisis, as a result of which the Greek authorities are not able to expand or scale up their services to meet the demand posed by the influx of refugees. With over 1000 new arrivals daily, and with migration figures set to rise in the coming months there is a distinct lack of capacity on the ground to respond to the current situation.

A humanitarian needs assessment was undertaken by Save the Children (SC) staff (5th-18th of July 2015) to determine the humanitarian needs of refugees and migrants arriving on the Greek Islands by boat from Turkey. This report presents the key findings by sector: child protection, shelter and non-food items, food security and livelihood, health and nutrition, WASH, and education. The methods by which refugees and migrants take themselves from their origin country, their arrival in Greece, and the subsequent options available to them upon arrival are described and discussed.