Belgium’s Controversial Move: Prioritizing Vulnerable Asylum Seekers Raises Concerns… Discover more!

Belgium’s government has announced a shift in policy, deciding to no longer grant protection to single men seeking asylum. They argue that their limited capacity for accommodation should be directed primarily towards families, women, and children.

This move has triggered condemnation from major European human rights organizations and humanitarian groups, who view it as a breach of international commitments. Belgium has long faced criticism for failing to provide adequate shelter for the thousands of individuals seeking refuge from persecution in their home countries. The sight of long lines of tents along the streets near Brussels’ main processing center has become emblematic of the current situation.

The Risk of Collapse: Mayor of Trieste’s Migrant Alarm. Nicole de Moor, the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, has indicated that there will be growing pressure on housing for asylum seekers in the coming months. She aims to prevent children from ending up on the streets this winter. However, single men will be left to fend for themselves.

According to the European Asylum Agency, last year, male applicants accounted for 71% of asylum requests. The Belgian policy shift has drawn criticism from human rights organizations, prompting the Council of Europe, representing 46 nations and serving as the continent’s principal human rights group, to intervene.

The Secretary of State, now facing criticism from associations and lawyers, has also highlighted Belgium’s burden in managing migrants within the EU. Marie Doutrepont, lawyer for the Progressive Lawyers Network, asserted that this new policy sends the message that single men are considered “less human” than those with families or minors. She added that this decision is illegal on national, international, and community levels. Belgium has faced court rulings in the past for failing to provide refuge, but the federal government has repeatedly disregarded them.