Hundreds of unaccompanied minors at the Pournara migrant reception camp near Nicosia, Cyprus, face severe hardships, as highlighted in a scathing March 2022 report by Children’s Rights Commissioner Despo Michaelidou. “Chronic overcrowding, woeful bathroom facilities, and reports of meagre food rations” define the camp, originally built for 1,000 but housing 2,535 people, including 275 minors, per interior ministry data. “There are about 15 people in each room, often sharing beds, and with children winding up having to sleep on the ground,” Michaelidou noted, with only two toilets and one shower for hundreds of children. President Nicos Anastasiades, visiting on March 14, 2022, called it a “tragic situation” and vowed improvements.
Surge in Asylum Seekers
Cyprus, with a population of 850,000 in the Greek Cypriot-administered south, recorded over 13,000 asylum applications in 2021, making 4.6% of its population asylum seekers or protection beneficiaries—the highest per capita in the EU before Ukraine’s 2022 crisis, per government figures. Many minors, like 16-year-old Anne from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), fled conflict or forced militia recruitment in countries like DRC and Somalia. Anne, stranded in Pournara for three months after attempting to join her mother in France, exemplifies the plight of those stuck in limbo. Nicosia blames Turkey, which occupies northern Cyprus since 1974, for orchestrating migrant flows, a claim Turkey denies.
Official Responses and Relocations
Following public outcry and protests by about 30 minors in March 2022, Cypriot officials began relocating unaccompanied minors. “Ninety of the unaccompanied minors were transferred last week to a hotel in… Larnaca, and another 150 are to follow,” leaving roughly 120 in Pournara, officials stated. However, Interior Minister Nicos Nouris dismissed reports of inadequate food, claiming minors receive three meals daily and have access to six toilets and three showers, contradicting Michaelidou’s findings. Social services head Hara Tapanidou admitted being overwhelmed, while aid groups noted minors often lack legal support, leaving them vulnerable.
Systemic Issues and Criticisms
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have long criticized Pournara’s “squalid conditions” and alleged brutal treatment, with clashes reported in February 2022. The camp’s overcrowding—2.5 times its capacity—has fueled tensions, including a May 2022 fire injuring six, per InfoMigrants. “Having children on the street leaves them exposed to many risks,” Michaelidou warned, yet returning them to Pournara is equally harmful. The EU pledged support, with €3 million allocated for a minors’ center, per Cyprus Mail, but delays persist. Age verification issues further complicate matters, with 60% of 2021’s assessed “minors” found to be adults, risking exploitation, per Deputy Minister Anastasia Anthousi.
Ongoing Challenges and Outlook
As of August 2025, Pournara’s conditions remain dire, with 3,000 migrants housed in 2024, per UNHCR Cyprus. A new pre-departure center in Limnes, opened in 2023, aims to ease overcrowding, but progress is slow. “The ongoing situation with minors at Pournara is truly a disgrace,” a Cyprus Mail editorial stated, reflecting public frustration. With 545 unaccompanied minor applications in 2021, a tenfold rise since 2014, Cyprus struggles to manage the influx. Enhanced facilities, legal support, and faster relocations are critical to protect vulnerable minors and uphold Cyprus’ obligations under international human rights law, as the island navigates its role as an EU migration frontline.
