Mary Milner (MGA’14) is an alumna of the Masters of Global Affairs program. The following article was published on the Global Solutions Network blog on September 8. An excerpt:
Last week, the shocking image of a young boy drowned with 12 others while trying to escape the Syrian conflict brought attention to the European refugee crisis in brutal fashion. This incident follows a series of horrifying incidents in Europe. Reports of refugees dying while trying to enter Europe seem to be coming daily.
The Greek islands are one of many landing points for refugees trying to enter Europe from North Africa and the Middle East. Ketty Kehayioy, a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) told The Guardianthat, “the situation on the islands is dramatic in terms of the sheer numbers flowing in, lack of shelter and ever worsening hygiene conditions.” The potential for disease outbreak, violence, and human rights abuses are of increasing concern.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that more than 350,000 refugees were detected at the EU’s borders between January and August 2015, compared with 280,000 detections for the whole of 2014. 2,643 people have died in crossing the Mediterranean so far this year.
