Red Cross - Urban area

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a global humanitarian network of 80 million people that helps those facing disaster, conflict and health and social problems. It consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the 190 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Since March 2016, Hellenic Red Cross (CRH) has been working together with the Spanish Red Cross (CRE), other National Societies and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in the Ritsona and Skaramagas camps, in the Region of Attica, Greece.

Since January 2017, there has been a drastic reduction in the population of refugee camps in northern Greece, leaving these settlements and moving to other areas. Many of them have left the country in several ways, but most of them have moved to urban areas looking for accommodation in better conditions and to try to find some means of subsistence in the urban environment. It is estimated that there are at least 6000 refugees living in the urban area of Athens, most of them as well as the different organizations working in the urban area of Athens. However, basic health needs are not covered in many cases.

The growing movement of the refugee population to urban areas, their lack of access to basic health services and the capacity of the Hellenic Red Cross services are the fundamental premises that justify the intervention with the aim of contributing to the improvement of the conditions of the vulnerable population identified in the urban core of Athens.