‘Disabled children will now be on the street as soon as they turn 18’: reclaiming advocacy, social rights and social work’s visibility in the public debate

Abstract

An inherent element of capitalism is the creation of refugee crises, and states’ imperialist policies are one of the main reasons for the ‘refugee crisis’, as we have recently seen happening again with the Palestinian population. Simultaneously, states’ social policies and the human rights approach frequently do not promote people’s needs and human dignity. All these are inextricably linked to social justice and are the main concerns of social work. This article briefly mentions the housing policy in Greece for refugee young adults. It also presents the collaboration between the Greek Social Workers Action Network and collectives and the media to promote public intervention. Moreover, it introduces an alternative/critical form of claiming rights through advocacy and activism as a tool for shaping social policy from below. Specifically, we reveal advocacy practices opposing legislation to remove the right to an extension for health reasons for young formerly accompanied minors staying in shelters.