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Maïté*, 20-year-old woman from Guinea Conakry

Denied Passage: The struggle of people stranded at the Italian-French border

Findings from our operations in Ventimiglia, Italy, between February and June 2023, indicate that people on the move crossing the French-Italian border are systematically and indiscriminately returned to Italy, without consideration of individual circumstances or vulnerabilities.

Most of our patients in Ventimiglia have gone through extremely dangerous journeys to reach Europe. Many have survived highly traumatic experiences in their countries of origin or during their migration journey.

The following report documents the significant dangers migrants face throughout their journeys to and within Europe. It also provides valuable insight into people’s living conditions and access to healthcare once they reach Europe. 

Furthermore, it emphasises European countries' failure to safeguard individuals' well-being effectively. The ‘bottleneck’ created in Ventimiglia is causing unnecessary suffering among migrants attempting to continue their journeys. Ensuring comprehensive protection and services that address the specific needs of individuals in transit, irrespective of their legal status, is of the utmost importance.

Read the full report below:

Denied Passage: The continuous struggle of people on the move pushed-back and stranded at the Italian-French border pdf — 3.09 MB Download
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Press Release 22 November 2023