Supporting refugees at the Polish border

Once in the border zone, people become trapped in Europe’s last remaining ancient forest. Border guards on both sides refuse to let them in or back out. Refugees and migrants often find themselves caught in limbo with no way forward or back.

Since 2021, thousands have tried to reach Europe via Belarus, particularly across Poland’s eastern border. However, Polish authorities have consistently blocked their entry. More recently, Poland has even suspended the right to apply for asylum for those entering this way.

Refugees are violently pushed back by guards on both sides. Some have been pushed back as many as 20 times. They are stuck in the forest under freezing conditions, with temperatures at night at times dropping below –20°C. Many become ill or suffer injuries from abuse or falls from the 5.5-meter border wall, which cuts through over 340 kilometres of forest. They often lack food, clean water, and urgently need medical care. NGOs and media outlets have been documenting these pushbacks, abuse, and the denial of essential aid. The situation is severe and increasingly invisible, as access to aid organisations is heavily restricted. Local organisations must operate with extreme caution to reach refugees in need.

International NGOs are largely absent from the region. Instead, it is small Polish organisations, local residents, and volunteers who are stepping in, offering food, clothing, medical help, and legal assistance. The work is emotionally demanding. Many volunteers face burnout and exhaustion.

Egala is one of these local organisations that has been founded in 2021 by a group of dedicated citizens. These people work on the ground in the Białystok border region, in Polish detention centres, and hospitals. They provide refugees with emergency medical aid, psychological support, and legal assistance. For example, Egala regularly sends urgent appeals to the European Court of Justice asking for interim measures to prevent deportations to Belarus, citing grave human rights violations and torture by border authorities.

Egala first received support from the Dutch Council for Refugees, through the Step-Up in 2022. With this support, they built a stronger organisational structure, expanded their volunteer team from 10 to 35, and introduced a mental health plan to support staff and volunteers 

In 2025, we renewed our support. As international attention and funding for the border crisis declines, we focus currently on strengthening Egala’s fundraising and communications strategy. With a €10,000 grant and our knowledge-sharing support, we are helping Egala take a next step forward. 

Beyond direct support, the Dutch Council for Refugees continues to raise the alarm at the European level. We advocate for full respect for the right to seek asylum, putting an end to pushbacks, and providing structural EU-wide solutions. We engage with policymakers to call out refoulement and serious human rights violations at Europe’s external borders; acts that undermine the EU’s values as a community based on human rights. 

 European countries have a duty to treat people fleeing their countries humanely and to process their requests for protection. We do not go along with the narrative of hostile regimes in Europe that use migrants and refugees in ‘hybrid warfare’ rhetoric, and in doing so, we aim to break with this vicious circle. Through sharing stories from our partners like Egala with policymakers, media outlets and our network, we ensure these people are not forgotten. 

Want to know more? Email us at: ip@dcfr.nl