Summary: Hundreds of refugees and displaced people are known to be sleeping rough in and around Maximilian Park in Brussels, Belgium. The situation reportedly intensified since the destruction of the so-called ‘Jungle’ camp in Calais, France, and conditions are today extremely bleak, with a lack of adequate sanitation and hygiene facilities. In this context, Refugee Rights Europe (RRE) deployed a field research team to Brussels to conduct new research regarding the situation for refugees and displaced people there. From 22 to 25 June 2018, RRE surveyed a total of 118 individuals. The research findings are outlined in this report and paint a clear picture of the unsustainable situation that is unfolding in Brussels, just a stone’s throw from the heart of European power.
Summary: Ahead of the consideration of the sixth periodic report submitted by Belgium on 15 October 2019 at the 127th session of the Human Rights Committee, Refugee Rights Europe (RRE), in collaboration with La Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés and others, submitted a version of this report to the United Nations. ‘No Way Forward, No Way Out’ is an updated and expanded version of our evidence submission, based on Refugee Rights Europe’s independent field research investigating and documenting the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees in Belgium during 2018, as well as desk research, evidence and input from La Plateforme Citoyenne de Soutien aux Réfugiés, Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, and Refugee Community Kitchen.