Labourers from Western Sub-Saharan African countries in Gioia Tauro are facing harsh working and living conditions, according to Doctors for Human Rights (MEDU), an Italian non-governmental organisation. Despite the construction of appropriate accommodation with millions of euros, labourers continue to live in poor conditions.
MEDU has strongly condemned the inhumane living conditions of the labourers, who mainly come from Mali, Gambia, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. The organisation highlighted that the labourers live in tents and old containers in Rosarno, San Ferdinando, and Taurianova, with the majority being young men with an average age of 35.
The situation continues to worsen as accommodation facilities that were supposed to provide dignified living remain closed to the labourers. More than half a million euros have been spent on construction, but the doors to the accommodation facilities are still closed. Even though the EU and the Italian Ministry of Interior allocated millions for the construction of buildings and a “Village of Solidarity,” the accommodation was never completed.
In addition to the unopened accommodation facilities, a multifunctional centre in Taurianova, which had a significant investment, has also never been activated. This chronic situation has negative effects on the area, according to MEDU, and the organisation is calling for an immediate solution to be found. MEDU emphasized the need for the authorities to remove bureaucratic obstacles and ensure economic and social sustainability for all labourers. The non-governmental organisation stressed the urgency of the situation and the need for immediate action.
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