Providing Access to Asylum for Vulnerable Populations: The Importance of Legal Assistance.

In December 2021, the ELIL Athens office was contacted by a transgender woman from India. She was in a vulnerable situation and, due to a recent government decision affecting new arrivals to mainland Greece, unable to register her asylum claim. As a transgender person, she had faced serious episodes of discrimination, abuse and exploitation.
The ELIL team immediately stepped in and conducted a needs assessment. They coordinated with other organisations to ensure that the woman received medical and psychological support and secured a safe place to stay. After frequent contact with the Vulnerability Unit of the competent Asylum Office, the team managed to help her register an application for international protection.

An ELIL lawyer then prepared the applicant for her asylum interview, which took place in October 2022, and represented her on the day. Because of the nature of the claim and the applicant’s vulnerable state, her case received a thorough examination and an additional interview was required. The lawyer submitted a legal memo to support the case and the woman was eventually granted refugee status. She is now waiting for her ID and travel documents.

Cases like this underline the crucial importance of providing direct legal assistance to those who are already in a highly vulnerable condition. Being unable to access the asylum procedure - and consequently also basic services - can significantly increase the risks linked to these vulnerabilities.