Summary
Ahmed*, a 14-year-old Afghan boy from the Hazara ethnic minority, arrived in Germany in 2019 seeking asylum after fleeing Taliban rule. He initially traversed Türkiye and Greece before reaching Germany, believing he could establish a better life there. Ahmed is part of a significant trend; from 2015 to 2020, around 1.2 million people applied for asylum in Greece. Many recent arrivals are single men, accounting for 63% of new entries into Europe, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
Despite his efforts to integrate into society—he is in his final year of high school—Ahmed faces discrimination and stigma as a young refugee. He feels viewed as a "threat," often having housing applications ignored due to his name. This discrimination exacerbates the hardships that young male refugees encounter, with some politicians exploiting negative narratives about immigrants to gain support.
In response to these challenges, organizations like Mazi have emerged in Greece to support single male asylum seekers, as many are neglected by governmental housing programs. Ahmed highlighted the dangers along migration routes, including exploitation by smugglers.
Other men, such as Junior from Cameroon, Ibrahim from Sierra Leone, and Venant* from Cameroon, also describe experiences of marginalization within refugee systems. Many believe single men are treated as less deserving of aid compared to families and women, perpetuating myths about their resilience and need for support.
Overall, the narratives of these men reveal a broader issue of scapegoating and discrimination against male asylum seekers across Europe, further complicated by political rhetoric that frames them as a societal threat.
