The situation faced by asylum seekers in the Netherlands has long been unacceptable and has “worsened in recent months”. This was announced by the press office of the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović.

“I am concerned about the marked difference in treatment between Ukrainians and people of other nationalities and join other calls, including by the Dutch National Institute for Human Rights, to prevent discriminatory treatment in accessing admission and other services,” the letter said.

Mijatović expressed concern about delays in the provision of adequate housing and called on the Dutch government “to take all necessary measures to ensure access to adequate housing, food, clean drinking water and sanitation and to effectively protect the right to health.”

“Discrimination must be prevented,” said the commissioner.

Problems have also emerged with the right of refugee children.

The asylum plan announced by the Dutch government, which involves delaying family reunification, does not comply with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, said children’s ombudsman Margrit Calverbur, the NL Times reported on 30 August.

According to Calverbour, the Netherlands has committed itself to the agreement, which states that “States must treat children’s cases with benevolence, humanity and urgency”. The agreement also obliges countries to provide additional protection for children with refugee status.

One of these measures is that the visa provision for family members of people already in the Netherlands will be adjusted. They will not be allowed to come to the Netherlands unless the family has a home. In such cases people have to wait up to 15 months.

According to  unn.com.ua