The current COVID-19 pandemic and a possible second wave pose great dangers to the overcrowded refugee camps on the Greek islands. The Greek authorities therefore sent a cry for help to the other European Member states, asking them to take in 2,500 unaccompanied refugee children. Several European member states have responded to the Greek call, but the Dutch government continues to refuse to shelter some of these children. A wide variety of organisations, municipalities and citizens therefore initiated the #500children campaign to encourage the Dutch government to show its solidarity.

Liselot and Tariq, our programme officers on Migration and Human Rights highlight the importance of this campaign:

“For a long time no decent life has been possible in the overcrowded refugee camps on the Greek islands. It is painful that the Netherlands does not want to work towards a solution for this acute emergency. Thousands of individuals, more than a hundred municipalities and several provinces in the Netherlands have shown their readiness to take in these unaccompanied refugee children. The campaign demonstrates the power of local solidarity, a power that our government cannot ignore.”

Support the campaign. Sign the petition on www.500kinderen.nl