EU agreements with Lebanon endanger children: Terre des Hommes warns of consequences
EU agreements with Lebanon endanger children: Terre des Hommes warns of consequences
The child rights organization Terre des Hommes warns of the consequences of the agreement between the EU and Lebanon, which was announced by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to Terre des Hommes, children and adolescents suffer particularly from the effects of such deals that aim to keep protection seekers away from the EU borders. Syrian refugees and their families are therefore not safe in Lebanon. They are increasingly held responsible for the political and economic crisis in the country. Access to legal residence documents will be systematically difficult and you are exposed to repression. They also face constant detention, torture and deportation. Since mid -October 2022, the Lebanese government has carried out so -called "voluntary returns", which in fact represent illegal deportations. This situation is driven by many Syrians and their families for a dangerous crossing in sea -free boats via Cyprus to Europe.
terre des Hommes criticizes the EU and its member states migration policy, since the protection seekers have to suffer on their way to Europe. Reports are increasing that they are left alone in boats on the sea and the responsible coast guards refuse to rescue. There are so -called pushbacks on the Lebanese mainland, in which children experience violence, have to endure hunger and thirst, be traumatized or even lose their lives. The partner organizations of Terre des Hommes are committed to helping those affected legally.
terre des Hommes is concerned about the fact that the EU has already concluded similar agreements with Tunisia and Egypt in recent months. The organization indicates that such migration agreements lead to the EU that makes autocratic regimes blackmail, but never lead to an improvement in the situation of children and adolescents seeking protection. Against the background of the upcoming European elections, Terre des Hommes calls on the EU to take its responsibility for human and children's rights seriously and not to “buy” with billion-offs.
The table below gives an overview of the EU agreements with different countries:
| Land | Agreement with EU |
| ———– | —————— |
| Lebanon | Are completed |
| Tunisia | Already completed |
| Egypt | Already completed |
This development gives the organization cause for concern, since the EU thus depends on authoritarian regimes instead of improving the situation of children and adolescents seeking protection.