Access to Health Care for Undocumented Migrants in Europe
- Document number
- 1381
- Date
- 2007
- Title
- Access to Health Care for Undocumented Migrants in Europe
- Author/publisher
- Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
- Availability
- View/save PDF version of this document
- Document type(s)
- Research/Study/Analysis,
- Keywords
- Migrant rights; Migration management; Comprehensive approach to migration; Migration policy; Irregular Migration, Feminization of migration, Economic migration, Labour migration, Free movement, Undocumented migrants; Undocumented labour;
- Summary
- The result of an intensive two-year project co-funded by the European Commission, this 124 page report identifies the legal and practical barriers encountered by undocumented migrants when trying to access health care within eleven EU Member states. Undocumented migrants in Europe face serious problems in receiving health care. The climate of repressionin Europe and the existing link between immigration control policies and access to basic social servicescreate a tremendous fear of discovery among undocumented migrants, deterring them from exercising theirentitlements and seeking health care. Undocumented migrants are not yet formally considered as being one of the most marginalized and sociallyexcluded groups in Europe. Very few documents of the European Institutions acknowledge this fact and thereis almost a total invisibility of the problem in the member states plans to combat social exclusion.This publication gives visibility to the problems arising from inadequate access to health care. The situationfacing undocumented migrants in terms of law and practice is provided through the country profiles; eachproviding an overview of the most common problems and obstacles preventing a realization of the right tohealth.The information contained in this publication will be useful in convincing the governments of EU memberstates to speak more, to do more, and to take on their responsibilities and comply with international humanrights obligations instead of continuing to rely upon civil society as an alternative provider of health care forundocumented migrants.
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