Haifa U. students provide legal aid to Syrian refugees in Greece
The Arab-Israeli students conduct research, provide legal aid and help overcome language and cultural barriers refugees may face.
By DEBORAH DAHANA Syrian refugee boy stands in front of his family tent at a makeshift camp for refugees and migrants next to the Moria camp on the island of Lesbos, Greece (REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis(photo credit: ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS / REUTERS)
Last Friday, Haifa University's Clinics for Law and Social Change [the Clinic] sent three Arab-Israeli students to Athens, Greece, to conduct research and provide social and legal aid for refugees from the Middle East and Africa.According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], over a million migrants from Syria, Iraq and other countries in crisis arrived in Greece in 2015 and early 2016. In 2018, more than 60,000 refugees remained in the country, including about 14,000 on Greek islands such as Lesbos, Samos, Kos, Leros and Chios.Over the years, their humanitarian situation has dramatically worsened. While the media has largely focused on refugees' financial and medical needs, their journey to Europe and the impact they have on the continent's economy, very few mention the legal recourse refugees have to get their lives back on track. Since 2017, the Clinic has partnered with the German Refugee Law Clinics Abroad (RLCA) to work to ensure that dozens of asylum seekers on the Greek island of Chios are aware of their legal rights.Twice a year, the Clinic sends Arabic-speaking Haifa University students and staff for 10-day trips to Chios.During the trip, students provide translation services to refugees, help them with "asylum applications, inform them about the procedure and their rights, help them prepare their documents and application and escort them to the interview," explains a statement from Haifa University.The Arab-Israeli students help RLCA deal with language and cultural barriers they face, since most of RLCA's staff do not speak Arabic. “This experience has shown me what I am capable of. Even though I don’t have enough money to give people to help them," said Dumiana, a fourth-year law student. "I realized that I can help with the knowledge that I acquired during my studies and can tell you for sure that after I finish [as a law student], I will be involved more in international and national community to provide help for vulnerable groups.”“I came from the Druze society that goes to the army here in Israel, and we don’t have a connection with Arab society in Israel or our Arab neighbors. At first, I didn’t want the refugees we were helping to know I was a Druze, but they recognized me from my accent. Their reaction was lovely, and it surprised me. It made me look at them differently,” declared Nasrin, a third-year law student.The Clinic is part of an academic program that engages law students in promoting positive social change.
Every year, the University sets up different clinics providing legal aid on a wide variety of topics including Arab-Palestinian minority rights of the elderly and women’s rights. More than 100 students participate in the clinics each year, reviewing 500 cases.
