Frontline humanitarian services and rights-based advocacy across Europe are eroding in real time. The deeper crisis is not vanishing funding - it is the growing needs, isolated responses, and the breakdown of the civic scaffolding that has held this movement together until now. Our response is Strategic Mutualism.
Read MoreOver the past two months, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia have witnessed a deeply troubling surge in violence targeting people on the move.This alarming escalation has claimed the lives of as many as nine individuals* in Serbia and two in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with others severely injured.
The border regime, engineered by nation-states and legitimised by European institutions in defence of “Fortress Europe”, has, paradoxically, no limits when it comes to inflicting pain and further violence. National borders are not simply lines on a map. They are active tools of violence used to target certain social groups in order to reproduce an imperialist and colonial social system. And as such, their reach goes far beyond the separation of two neighbouring states. The people who have lost their lives at the European Union’s geographical and ideological margins embody the suffering, dehumanisation and arbitrary fates endured by people on the move. Physically and symbolically, as the impact of their deaths reverberates far beyond the borders where they occurred, they encapsulate the grief and trauma carried by loved ones thousands of kilometres away.
On May 9, the EU dresses itself in blue and gold, lighting up its monuments to celebrate a shared vision of unity, peace, and prosperity. Simultaneously, across the continent of Europe, fences are being fortified and policies tightened in order to deny these ideals to people on the move at its internal and external borders.
As the Union evolves, what is the price of solidarity which is solidified by the exclusion of the ‘others’ condemned to violence and death at its borders?
Read MoreThe manipulation of migration as a geopolitical tool is not a new concept, but in recent years, states have increasingly exploited the vulnerability of displaced people to advance their political agendas. Migration should be about seeking safety and opportunity, but it has become a tool of coercive diplomacy and hybrid warfare, particularly at the EU's external border.
Read MoreSince his inauguration in January, President Trump has enforced deportation raids, sent US Marines to construct a ‘fortified’ border wall extension in San Diego, and terminated the existing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) asylum scheduling system, cancelling all existing appointments, effectively making it impossible for people on the move to apply for asylum in the United States (US).
Read MoreThis 8th of March, on International Women's Day, we would like to shed light on a central issue in the solidarity sector which is not talked about enough: the invisible weight of care work.
Read MoreWhat happens to Syrians seeking protection in the EU?
Read MoreFor people on the move, staying updated on news from home can be just as important as knowing what is happening around them; a phone helps people to stay in touch with their family and friends, offering comfort against feelings of isolation and loneliness while supporting psychological well-being.They can also help to gather evidence, documenting illegal pushbacks, and other violence exerted against them.Most importantly, phones can save lives. Yet, despite the vital role phones play, authorities often fail to recognise - or deliberately ignore - their importance. We have heard, worryingly, numerous accounts of Serbian, Croatian and Bulgarian police smashing or confiscating devices. Our Advocacy and Communications Officer in Sarajevo looks further into the issue…
Read MoreHow the AI Act Fails to Protect People on the Move and Strengthens Fortress Europe
Read MoreCaporalato is an Italian term that refers to illegal labour intermediation, commonly known as the ”gangmaster system” in English. It involves the recruitment of largely workers from migrant backgrounds to perform various types of labour, predominantly in agriculture.
Our Communications and Media volunteer Giovanna Bressan explains more about the phenomenon and what it means for people on the move.
According to the IOM Situation Report for the week 20-26 January 2025, the number of people on the move who arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina decreased significantly in 2024, dropping from 34.500 arrivals in 2023 to 25.200 in 2024. This decline, particularly noticeable from August, raises questions about the underlying causes of this trend.
Read MoreToday, we release a Briefing Note on our Bulgarian Needs Assessment, conducted at the end of January 2025.
It presents key findings from the assessment, background information, and country context, concluding with four recommendations to improve the lives of people on the move. It underscores Bulgaria’s failure to uphold its obligations concerning people’s fundamental rights, the critical need for advocacy to challenge these abuses, and the broader implications of Europe’s restrictive migration policies, which continue to prioritise deterrence over the safety and well-being of people on the move.
Read MorePeople living in Bulgaria’s biggest asylum centre in Harmanli, a town close to the border with Turkey, began a protest this Monday (January 20) against the mass rejection of Syrian asylum claims, and as part of a wider call to the Bulgarian and European authorities to take urgent action against the hostile and degrading policies and conditions which govern their lives.
Read MoreIn the last couple months, the team at Collective Aid have been discussing and reflecting upon our use of X, formerly known as Twitter, as an organisation. As we start 2025, we are in unanimous agreement that our continued presence would not just compromise our work, but also our core values. Our mission is to advocate for displaced people with compassionate and fact-based advocacy. It is no longer possible to operate in this capacity in the environment that Elon Musk has curated with X. For this reason we have decided to stop posting and engaging on the platform with immediate effect.
Read MoreWalking on the streets of Athens from Victoria Square towards Ameriki’s Square, the signs of transformation become evident. The once homogeneously Greek neighbourhoods have given way to a mosaic of languages, cultures, and faces. Shops owned by people from across the world and NGO spaces for people on the move paint the picture of the area’s evolving demographic landscape. Amidst this change, homelessness emerges as a growing and complex phenomenon.
Read MoreDear Friends and Supporters,
I am writing to share an important update regarding the Collective Aid France Programme.
After much thoughtful deliberation and consultation with our board of trustees, partners, and team, we have made the difficult decision to close our Calais project and pause our operations in France. This transition will include handing over our current operations, including NFI distribution, to our trusted partners who will remain operating on the ground.
As winter approaches in Serbia and the numbers of people sleeping outside show no signs of lessening, access to potentially life-saving essentials like tents, warm clothing, and food become more crucial than ever. However, in recent months, our team in northern Serbia has had to work harder than ever before in order to access the people who so desperately need these items. Escalating police surveillance and harassment has created an environment of fear, which is driving people on the move underground. In addition to the huge risks that people are now taking in order to evade detection, arrest, and violence, this has given rise to a new question: how can we continue to reach people who need to take more and more drastic measures not to be found?
Read MoreWinter is brutal without shelter.
Today, we’re launching our winter appeal fundraiser to ensure that we can keep our projects running and deliver vital support to those on the move during the coldest months of the year.
Earlier today, Collective Aid and a number of other signatories from humanitarian organisations sent a letter to Greek and EU authorities, warning them that they risk seriously violating the human rights of refugees and asylum seekers who will be accommodated in the soon-to-open Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) in Vastria, Lesvos.
The letter calls for freedom of movement for all people on the move, and demands the following:
Immediate cessation of the Vastria CCAC’s construction
The termination of all related plans for its opening
The immediate end to the unlawful practice of containing asylum seekers in inhuman conditions on the Greek islands in CCACs
There is no cause for celebration in this anniversary. This blog brings together writing from a week of commemoration to mark the 20-year anniversary of the European Border and Coastguard Agency, commonly known as Frontex. It considers some of its impacts across the project locations Collective Aid works in, before turning to consider matters further afield.
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