Campaigns
Citizenship for the stateless Kurds from Syria
Ajanib and Maktoumeen are stateless Kurds from Syria. The members of this specific social group are therefore lacking over time the right to naturalization and as a consequence, all the related social and political rights.
In Cyprus, the specific group consists of around 80 people. The majority of them arrived in Cyprus in 2005/2006 after the crackdown of the Qamishli uprising in 2004 and sought Asylum. In the years 2010/2011 the Cypriot Authorities rejected their applications for Asylum despite the fact that based on the refugee law but also on the practice that the rest of the EU member states follow, the stateless Kurds from Syria have the right to be granted recognized refugee status.
In 2014, after a long protest in front of the Ministry of Interior, the Cypriot authorities agreed to reexamine their applications for Asylum but instead of recognized refugee status they were granted subsidiary protection. It should be mentioned that the Cypriot government decided to grant the status of subsidiary protection after seven-years (7) delay in examining their applications for asylum.
Subsidiary protection was not seen as a durable solution, since among others it can be revoked at any time with a real risk of refoulment, it does not give immediate access to valid travelling documents while it deprives the right to family reunification. As a result, they entered in April 2015 in a new protest in front of the of the ministry of Interior, demanding to be granted the recognized refugee status.
In May 2015 the Minister of Interior informed the refuges in strike that their demand for recognized refugee status cannot be fulfilled since the relevant authorities, the Asylum Service and the Refugee Reviewing Authority, insisted that they are not eligible for the recognized refugee status. The Minister as well as the permanent secretary of the Ministry then encouraged the protesting refugees to apply for citizenship, which is entirely in the jurisdiction of the Minister with the promise to examine them immediately and in good faith.
LET’S HELP BRIDGE THE GAP TO FREEDOM.
The yearly EU Anti-Trafficking Day on the 18th of October and enables policymakers and the general public to reflect on the response to trafficking in human beings in Europe. In an effort to raise awareness on this pertinent issue, we are inviting you to partake in a social media campaign which endeavours to raise awareness on sex and labour trafficking.
KISA asks for effective measures and safe routes to face the refugee crisis
A Campaign aiming to inform the public about the unprecedented refugee crisis, according to the United Nations the worst refugee crisis since World War II.
KISA calls on the EU for taking on its responsibilities and adopts policies and measures, including the access to safe routes for migrants and refugees to Europe, in order to effectively tackle this unprecedented humanitarian crisis and begins to treat these people based on the values and principles of its establishment, such as respect for human life and dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights.
Used in Europe: Human trafficking and labour exploitation is present on our continent
Contrary to the belief of many Europeans, labour exploitation and human trafficking is not confined to the Global South. It is happening all over Europe too. Picking fruit and vegetables, constructing buildings, manufacturing clothes, performing domestic work… “Used in Europe” is a European campaign to raise awareness on the issue of human trafficking and labour exploitation in Europe. Greater public awareness and increased knowledge of the facts are key to step up pressure on governments and businesses to prevent the suffering and human rights violations linked to everyday products and services in Europe.
The campaign “Used in Europe” is an initiative of La Strada International and is supported by 28 anti-trafficking NGOs all over Europe, among which KISA – Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism.
Recognized refugees demand access to their right to citizenship!
The economic crisis has led the majority of refugees to unemployment, poverty, racist discrimination and social exclusion. In their majority, they live in abject destitution and no longer have access to the necessary resources for housing and food.
Exactly due to the despair in which they have been driven to, as well as their reaction to a policy that aims to enforce them to leave Cyprus, the refugees’ communities have been mobilized since late September 2013 to mid January 2014 demanding equal treatment and equal rights for all people, without any discrimination and exclusion, and most importantly their right to naturalization (the right to receive the Cypriot citizenship). In early June 2014, they set up a new protest camp demanding resettlement from Cyprus.
