PROFILING OF SYRIAN ARRIVALS ON GREEK ISLANDS IN FEBRUARY 2016 CONTEXT In the month of February 2016, 56,000 people made the journey across the Mediterranean to Greece. In 2015, there were 856,000 sea arrivals. UNHCR inihated a data collechon and analysis exercise with support from the Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS) in order to berer inform the wider community on the profile of refugees arriving to Greece, and improve immediate response and longer term planning. The exercise focused on Syrian, Iraqis and Afghan arrivals, and this factsheet illustrates the results of interviews with SYRIANS during February 2016. METHODOLOGY The profiling exercise was implemented on the islands that are receiving the majority of the arrivals to Greece: Chios, Lesvos, Leros and Samos. The survey was administered in locahons on each island where all arrivals pass. The survey was not administered while individuals waited in line (e.g., for registrahon) and minors and persons with mental disabilihes were interviewed in the presence of a caretaker. A systemahc purposive sampling was uhlized and the enumerators interviewed respondents at intervals. The methodology was designed using the individual as unit of analysis. The purpose of the methodology is to provide a representahve sample over the period of one month. Data by Greek authorihes on age and gender breakdown of the Syrian populahons arriving during the same period on the islands were used to apply weights to the data collected, to ensure a representahon of each age and gender group based on the actual distribuhon of arrivals. The methodology was tested and closely monitored throughout the data collechon period. Four teams of Arabic speaking enumerators based in Chios, Lesvos, Leros and Samos interviewed 736 Syrians from 1 to 29 February. The February results illustrated in this factsheet are representahve of the Syrian populahon arriving to Greece in February. This exercise started in January 2016 and will be repeated each month for the first half of 2016 and results will be analyzed at the end of each month to give a profile of the arrivals from the main nahonalihes. LIMITATIONS OperaHonal constraints were significant: Hme for conduchng a survey is limited, tensions may be high, some locahons had to be le^ out due to lack of access, etc. Number of Interviews of Syrian individuals conducted on four Greek islands Many of the individuals staying overnight in hotels as well as unaccompanied minors might not have been reached. The methodology arempted to factor in these challenges as much as possible. These challenges must be considered when reading the profiling results. Lesvos Chios 150 284 116 Samos Leros 186 Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 1
SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Age and Gender breakdown of interviewed Syrians female 60 and above 0% male 25 to 59 1 19 to 24 15 to 18 10 to 14 5 to 9 2 to 4 0 to 1 % of the interviewed population Age and gender distribubon OTHER () Age groups Children, 4 Women, 2 Men, 30% Special needs Marital status Union, married, 40% Single, 5 Widowed, Divorced, separated, of women interviewed are pregnant of women interviewed are lactating have a physical disability have a severe medical condition For a global overview of the age/gender breakdown of the arrivals, go to: from: http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php 2 of all respondents are students, 7 of whom have interrupted their educahon to take this journey Most frequent levels of educahon interrupted are PRIMARY, HIGH SCHOOL and UNIVERSITY. Religion & Ethnicity Ethnicity Highest level of educabon achieved for > 4 yr-old Adults Children None 3 Primary 3 Secondary 2 2 High School 2 University 0% VocaHonal 0% Religion 80% 1 7 Arab Kurdish Other Don t want to answer Other Islam Sunni Professional background JUDICIARY () TRANSPORT () IT () What was your main occupa?on back in your country of origin?* AGRICULTURE () CONSTRUCTION () OTHER () FOOD () * only for 18 years old and above STUDENT (1) EDUCATION () SERVICE (30%) RETAIL () HEALTH () ADMINISTRATION () MANUFACTURING () 1 of adult respondents did not have professional achvihes back in the country of origin. Of those, 8 are WOMEN and 1 are MEN. 30% of all women and of all men indicated no professional/educahon achvihes before leaving their place of residence. Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 2
INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT Internally displaced due to violence/conflict in Syria before journey Never lived in Syria No Yes JOURNEY 8 1 58 days Average durahon of travel for those moving directly from Syria to Greece DistribuBon by Bme spent en route < 1 week 1 to 2 weeks 2 weeks to a month 1 2 REASONS TO LEAVE SYRIA Main reason to leave the country of origin Conflict/Violence Fear of forced recruitment Economic Reunify with family abroad 0. PersecuHon (or fear of) 0. 0. Latakia (5,) Idlib () Damascus (1) Aleppo (3) Governorates of origin in Syria Homs () Rural Damascus () Deir-ez-Zor (1) Al-Hasakah () 9 More than a month 5 Dara (5,) 50% of all respondents started their journey to Greece in 2016 30% of all respondents started their journey to Greece in 2015 DistribuBon of respondents by year of departure from Syria 50% 30% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 3
ROUTES Four main routes taken by Syrians to reach to Greece: 6 - SYRIA > TURKEY > GREECE (Syrians coming directly from Syria). 2 - TURKEY > GREECE (Syrians previously living in Turkey). - SYRIA > LEBANON> TURKEY> GREECE (Syrians coming directly from Syria). - IRAQ> TURKEY> GREECE (Syrians previously living in Iraq). ( other minor routes). 1 of respondents indicated that they had made previous arempt(s) to cross the border between Turkey and Greece. FINANCE Main ways to finance the journey Borrowing from friends Family paid for the journey 2 Sold assets Own savings 1 Worked during the journey Don t know Deir-ez-Zor Borrowing from other enhhes Don t want to answer 40% Main routes for Syrians travelling to Greece DESTINATION COUNTRIES 4 Reasons of the choice of the country of desbnabon 1 1 10% 10% Family reunificahon Feel welcome Community of there my culture Economic Respect for Faster asylum human rights process Other Welfare system Don t know Didn't choose Don t want to answer Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 4
COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE STAYED FOR 6 MONTHS OR MORE - OUTSIDE SYRIA 3 lived in another country (not Syria) for 6 months or more before starhng the journey to Europe. Average stay in the country of residence was of two years. Main countries where people stayed for 6 months or more outside of Syria TURKEY (2 of all respondents) LEBANON () IRAQ () JORDAN (<) 4 of those who stayed in another country for more than 6 months reported having no legal documentahon in that country. The rest had temporary residence (1), refugee card (), health card (10%) or other documents (10%) DistribuBon of Bme spent in countries where people stay for 6 months or more outside Syria 4 Main reason for departure from countries where people stay for 6 months or more outside Syria No Job adequate to skills, not meehng basic living expenses, avoid exploitahon DiscriminaHon Conflict, violence Reunify with family abroad Survival essenhals are not met Fear of expulsion Sent by my family PersecuHon or fear of future persecuhon Don t want to answer Don t know Main accommodabon in countries where people stay for 6 months or more outside Syria 0% 2 4 3 Rented accommodahon 80% Camps, sites 10% Other Less than a year 1 to 2 years More than 2 years Hosted by friends TRAVELLING GROUP 8 of all respondents are travelling at least with a close FAMILY MEMBER (child, spouse, parent and sibling). 1 are travelling at least with a member of their extended family (in-law, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc.). of all respondents are travelling ALONE. 8 Who are you travelling with?* Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 5 1 Close family Extended familiy Friends, colleagues Alone
TRAVELLING GROUP 1 of respondents were part of a single female-headed household while travelling. LimitaHon: of the enhre sample idenhfied themselves as Unaccompanied Children. However, access to separate spaces for unaccompanied children was not always possible. % who indicated having le` behind a SPOUSE 5 % who indicated having le` behind PARENTS Limita^on: of the enhre sample idenhfied themselves 1 as Unaccompanied % who indicated having Children. le` behind CHILDREN However, access to separate spaces for unaccompanied children was not always possible. Why did household members stay behind?* 2 of respondents were part of a single male-headed household while travelling. 5 of respondents with close family members that were le^ behind, plan to eventually bring them to the country of deshnahon 5 Lack of financial resources 2 2 Too vulnerable to travel ACCESS TO INFORMATION RELATED TO JOURNEY (ROUTE, PROCESS, etc.) InformaBon sources used* For respondents travelling with close and/or extended family,on average the travelling family is composed of: MALES: 1.4 minors, 1.7 adults FEMALES: 1.5 minor, 1.5 adults 1 1 They were prevented Didn't want to come Journey is too risky Look a^er relahves I was more at risk Other from moving 1.7 1.4 1.5 Main challenges to access informabon* 1.5 Travel companions 4 None 5 Friends and family at deshnahon 2 ContradicHng informahon 1 Calling individual ahead of us 2 No internet connechon 1 Smugglers 1 No access to trustworthy info Social media Mobile app Other Specialized websites Don t want to answer 1 No phone No SIM card No informahon in my language No phone credit No electricity Don t want to answer * in % of respondents. Respondents could provide mulhple answer, hence total of all answers can be above 100% Don t know Don t know Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 6
ASSISTANCE RECEIVED EN ROUTE AND GAPS Access to assistance assistance in any country en route (% of respondents who received...) WASH facilihes Food Blanket, sleeping bags Clothes/shoes Shelter InformaHon in my language Electricity Safe space for women Safe space for children Medical Psycho-social support Legal assistance CommunicaHon Help to access money transfer Cash assistance 9 9 9 8 8 7 7 7 7 7 5 5 4 1 Assistance gaps en route iden^fied by respondents: in TURKEY: #1 Medical (1), #2 Shelter(1), #3 Food(1) in GREECE: #1 Food (2), #2 Clothes, shoes (2), #3 Shelter (1) PROTECTION 3 of respondents directly witnessed or experienced protechon incidents during the journey. Where did the incident occur (country/sea)? 5 ProtecBon incident witnessed or experienced 30% Economic exploitahon Physical assault 1 EmoHonal abuse 1 ShooHng, threat of shoohng Shelling Turkey Syria At sea Greece Lebanon ARempt of shipwreck ExtorHon, corruphon DetenHon Held against his/her will 5 Where did the incident occur (locabon)? Robbery, the^ Shipwreck Death of family member 2 Other 1 Sexual violence Sexual harassment Forced separahon Public space Transport Border control Shelter Camp, site Other of respondents have been separated from a family member during the journey. 80% of reported separahons took place in Turkey. of the 68 separahons report, only 10 had found the separated individuals at the Hme of the interview. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Supported by The Joint IDP Profiling Service (JIPS) The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the maps do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Other sources: from: http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php Contact: For UNHCR: Daunia Pavone, Senior Regional IM Europe, pavone@unhcr.org and Ioannis Papachristodoulou, UNHCR Greece IM, papachri@unhcr.org For JIPS: Damien Jusselme, Profiling Advisor, jusselme@jips.org Profiling of Syrian arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 7