2023-06-09 05:10:11
According to a UNHCR survey, more than a third of the refugees surveyed can hardly meet their basic needs.
Vienna (OTS) – More than a year following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the war continues unabated and many refugees from Ukraine are forced to start a new life away from home. In order to be able to gain a better foothold in Austria, a system change is urgently needed, as a survey published today by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR suggests.
The aim of the survey was to gain random insights into the current situation of refugees in Austria, into challenges and intentions to return. A total of 533 refugee households from Ukraine in Austria were surveyed online from January to March, enabling information to be collected from over 1,500 people.
While 42 percent of those surveyed still hope to be able to return home one day, only very few refugees (four percent) believe that they will return in the next three months. The report also shows very clearly that above all the insecure situation due to the war and the lack of access to basic services such as electricity, water and health care and the lack of job opportunities in Ukraine are preventing refugees from returning.
At the same time, refugees from Ukraine in Austria are in danger of slipping into poverty: more than a third of those surveyed (around 38 percent) stated in the survey that they might hardly cover their basic needs in Austria in the last three months. An alarming 17 percent were no longer able to meet their basic needs.
“The collected data show impressively that the course must finally be set in order to give the refugees from Ukraine in Austria longer-term perspectives. A system change is urgently needed for this,” says Christoph Pinter, Head of UNHCR Austria.
Without a doubt, the rapid admission and granting of temporary protection in the EU and Austria was the order of the day and the commitment of all actors in emergency aid was unprecedented. But now it is urgent to work on viable, long-term solutions.
The risk of poverty is currently exacerbated by the fact that refugees from Ukraine are in the so-called basic care system, which is actually designed for asylum seekers and for a short stay (for a privately living individual max. 425/month for rent and food).
A complicated calculation system and very low additional earnings make it difficult for many refugees who cannot immediately find a well-paid or full-time job to take up work. This initial situation is particularly difficult for mothers who have fled alone and often have small children.
“The refugees from Ukraine should have the opportunity to arrive in Austria both emotionally and economically. To do this, they need access to more rights and also a longer-term residence permit,” says Pinter.
Above all, consideration must be given to the large number of mothers and children who have fled alone and the high percentage of people with special needs (around 17 percent in the survey).
You can find the entire report here: https://www.unhcr.org/dach/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2023/06/Umfrage_Fluchtlinge_Ukraine.pdf.
Questions & contact:
UNHCR Austria
Mag.a Ruth Schöffl
+43/1 26060 5307
schoeffl@unhcr.org
www.unhcr.at
1686287988
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