- Beyond the Headlines -

SEEKING ASYLUM IN THE EU

WOMEN AND CHILDREN STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE IN LESBOS

A conversation with
Devon Cone
Refugees International

It has been nearly five years since the peak of the refugee crisis in Europe, but men, women, and children continue to risk their lives to flee violence from conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, and the DRC. Thousands have been left stranded in drastically deteriorating conditions for months on one of several islands while awaiting their asylum decisions. Moria camp on Lesbos, originally built to hold just over 2,000, now hosts over 18,000 people. Overcrowding and lack of access to basic medical care and sanitation have created enormous protection risks for asylum seekers, especially for women, girls, and unaccompanied children. Additionally, friction continues to grow between local residents and asylum seekers. How can Greece and its still recovering economy handle being host to its largest influx of asylum seekers since 2015? What assistance is being offered by the EU and the international community? What is the situation on the ground today? Join us for a conversation with Devon Cone, who recently returned from a fact-finding mission on conditions facing asylum seekers in the Greek islands.

Devon Cone is the senior advocate for women and girls at Refugees International. Before joining RI, Cone served as the director of protection programs at HIAS where she was responsible for providing technical expertise to HIAS’ protection-related programming globally. She has also worked for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Lebanon, Uganda, Egypt, and Kenya and for a variety of NGOs providing services to refugees. As part of her work, Cone has developed curriculum and led trainings on refugee protection for government officials, NGO staff, and UN agencies. At the request of the State Department in 2015, Cone conducted an independent evaluation of the US Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) which is responsible for choosing, vetting, and resettling refugees into the US. Her writing has been published in Foreign Policy, the Forced Migration Review, and The Huffington Post. @DevonCone | @RefugeesIntl

Friday March 6, 2020 | 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
Registration and Luncheon: 12:00 to 12:30 p.m.
Program and Discussion: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

University of Notre Dame's Keough School of Global Affairs
1400 16th St NW, Suite 120
Washington, DC 20036

This program is free of charge, but advance registration is required.
Space is limited and preference will be given to WFPG Members & Notre Dame alumni.

REGISTER
Notre Dame Alumni: REGISTER

Please direct any questions to 202-429-2692 or [email protected].