PROFILING OF AFGHAN ARRIVALS ON GREEK ISLANDS IN FEBRUARY 2016

PROFILING OF AFGHAN 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 AFGHANS during February 2016. METHODOLOGY The profiling exercise was implemented on the islands that are receiving the majority of the arrivals to Greece: Chios, Lesvos, 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 regular 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 Afghan 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. Three teams of Farsi/Dari speaking enumerators based in Chios, Lesvos and Samos interviewed 779 Afghans from 1 to 29 February. The February results illustrated in this factsheet are representahve of the Afghan 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 Afghan individuals conducted on two Greek islands Lesvos Many of the individuals staying overnight in 293 hotels as well as unaccompanied minors might not have been reached. The methodology Chios arempted to factor in these challenges as 336 much as possible. These challenges must be considered when reading the profiling results. 150 Samos Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 1

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION Age and Gender breakdown of interviewed Afghans women 60 and above men 25 to 59 1 19 to 24 15 to 18 1 1 Age groups 10 to 14 5 to 9 2 to 4 0 to 1 Age and gender distribu5on Age and Gender distribu5on of interviewed Afghans Children, 4 Women, 2 Men, 3 % of the interviewed population 2 Special needs Marital status Union, married, 39% Single, 60% Widowed, of women interviewed are pregnant of women interviewed are lactating have a physical disability have a mental disability For a global overview of the age/gender breakdown of the arrivals, go to: from: http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php EducaHon 1 of all respondents are students, all of whom have interrupted their educahon to take this journey Most frequent level of educahon interrupted is HIGH SCHOOL. Religion & Ethnicity Religion 48% 48% None Primary Secondary High School University Highest level of educa5on achieved for > 4 yr-old Adult Children 30% 1 29% 1 30% 2 2 9% 0% Ethnicity 9% 39% 4 Islam Shia Islam Sunni Other Other Uzbek Sadat Pashtun Hazara Tajik Professional Background What was your main occupaaon back in your country of origin?* AGRICULTURE (9%) MEDIA () TRANSPORT () RETAIL () OTHER () ART () EDUCATION () HEALTH () IT () SECURITY () CONSTRUCTION (17%) SERVICE (1) STUDENT () * only for 18 years old and above MANUFACTURING () ADMINISTRATION () PETTY TRADE () FOOD () 30% of adult respondents did not have professional achvihes back in the country of origin. Of those, 6 are WOMEN and 3 are MEN. 67% of all women and 20% of all men indicated no professional/educahon achvihes before leaving their place of residence. Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 2

INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT Internally displaced due to violence/ conflict in Afghanistan before journey I never lived in AFG 1 JOURNEY No 18% Yes, 70% 48 days Average durahon of travel for those moving directly from Afghanistan to Greece Distribu5on by 5me spent en route < 1 week 1 to 2 weeks Hirat 1 REASONS TO LEAVE AFGHANISTAN Main reason to leave the country of origin Conflict/Violence Economic EducaHon Other type of violence PersecuHon (or fear of) DiscriminaHon Other Never lived in Afghanistan 1 Provinces of origin in Afghanistan Balkh Kunduz 8% Ghazni 9% Wardak 7% Parwan 7% Kabul 18% 80% 2 weeks to a month 2 More than a month 69% 60% of all respondents le^ Afghanistan in 2016 1 of all respondents le^ Afghanistan in 2015 Distribu5on of respondents by year of departure from Afghanistan 60% 1 0. 0. 1 Never lived in Afghanistan Before 2009 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 3

ROUTES Four main routes taken by Afghans to reach Greece 3 - AFGHANISTAN > PAKISTAN > IRAN > TURKEY > GREECE (Afghans coming directly from Afghanistan). 3 - AFGHANISTAN > IRAN > TURKEY > GREECE (Afghans coming directly from Afghanistan). 2 - IRAN > TURKEY > GREECE (Afghans previously living in Iran). - TURKEY > GREECE (Afghans previously living in Turkey). < - OTHER ROUTES. 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 3 Sold assets Own savings Family paid for the journey Worked during the journey 9% 2 2 Main routes for Afghan travelling to Greece REASONS FOR CHOOSING THE DESTINATION COUNTRY 4 1 1 1 1 8% 8% 0% Didn't choose EducaHon Family reunificahon Faster asylum process Respect for human rights, safety Feel welcome there Economic * in % of respondents. Respondents could provide mulhple answer, hence total of all answers can be above 100% Community of my culture Welfare system Don t know Don t want to answer Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 4

COUNTRIES WHERE PEOPLE STAYED FOR 6 MONTHS OR MORE - OUTSIDE AFGHANISTAN Main reason for departure from countries where people stayed 1 of the Afghans respondents actually for 6 months or more outside Afghanistan never lived in Afghanistan but were born and lived in Iran. Fear of expulsion 4 Lack of document 1 lived in another country (not Job adequate to their skills, meets basic Afghanistan) for 6 months or more before 1 living expenses, avoid exploitahon starhng the journey to Europe. Average stay in the country of residence was of two DiscriminaHon 10% and half years. EducaHon Fear of forced recruitment Main countries where people stayed for 6 months or more outside of Other type of violence Afghanistan Conflict, violence IRAN (1 of all respondents) PAKISTAN () Survival essenhals are not met TURKEY () PersecuHon or fear of future persecuhon Reunify with family abroad 77% 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 (10%), refugee card (), work permit () or other documents (). Don t want to answer Main accommoda5on in countries where people stayed for 6 months or more outside Afghanistan Distribu5on of 5me spent in countries where people stayed for 6 months or more outside Afghanistan 1 70% 6 months to a year 1 to 2 years More than 2 years Rented accommodahon 68% Hosted by friends, family 2 Camps, sites Public building Own property Other TRAVELLING GROUP 6 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.). 27% of all respondents are travelling ALONE. Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 5 6 Who are you travelling with?* 1 Close family Extended familiy Friends, colleagues 27% Alone * in % of respondents. Respondents could provide mulhple answer, hence total of all answers can be above 100%

TRAVELLING GROUP of respondents were part of a single male-headed household while travelling. of respondents were part of a single female-headed household while travelling. LimitaHon: 9% of the enhre sample idenhfied themselves as Unaccompanied Children. However, access to separate spaces for unaccompanied children was not always possible. 59% 1 6 2 18% 29% % who indicated having le] behind a SPOUSE Lack of financial resources Didn't want to come Journey is too risky ACCESS TO INFORMATION RELATED TO JOURNEY (ROUTE, PROCESS, etc.) Informa5on sources used* % who indicated having le] behind PARENTS % who indicated having le] behind CHILDREN Too vulnerable to travel For respondents travelling with close and/or extended family,on average the travelling family is composed of: MALES: 1.5 minors, 1.5 adults FEMALES: 1.3 minor, 1.2 adults Why did household members stay behind?* 1.5 1.5 1.3 Don t know Look a^er relahves I was more at risk Other Main challenges to access informa5on* 1.2 67% of respondents with close family members that were le^ behind, plan to eventually bring them to the country of deshnahon Smugglers 7 None 3 Travel companions 20% No SIM card 2 Friends and family at deshnahon 8% No phone 2 Calling individual ahead of us No internet connechon No informahon in my language 1 Social media No access to trustworthy info Mobile app Other ContradicHng informahon No phone credit * in % of respondents. Respondents could provide mulhple answer, hence total of all answers can be above 100% Profiling of Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 6

ASSISTANCE RECEIVED EN ROUTE AND GAPS Access to assistance in any country en route (% of respondents who received...) Shelter Food WASH facilihes Electricity Blanket, sleeping bags Clothes/shoes Medical InformaHon in my language Safe space for women Safe space for children CommunicaHon Psycho-social support Legal assistance Help to access money transfer Cash assistance 5 5 4 39% 38% 3 3 29% 17% Assistance gaps en route iden_fied by respondents: in TURKEY: #1 Food (4), #2 Shelter (2), #3 Blanket(1) in IRAN: #1 Food (3), #2 Blanket (2), #3 Shelter (20%) PROTECTION 3 of respondents directly witnessed or experienced protechon incidents during the journey. Protec5on incident witnessed or experienced 5 Where did the incident occur (country/sea)? 2 Physical assault Robbery, the^ 2 39% 1 10% ShooHng, threat of shoohng 10% Iran Turkey Pakistan At sea Other Shipwreck 7% DetenHon EmoHonal abuse 3 Where did the incident occur (loca5on)? Death of a family member Forced separahon Held against his/her will ARempt of shipwreck Sexual violence 1 Transport Public space Shelter Camp, site Other Don t know 1 of respondents have been separated from a family member during the journey. SeparaHons took place at borders in Iran or Turkey. Less than a 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 Afghan arrivals on Greek islands - February 2016 7