Two sides of the same mirror: The point of view of implementers and recipients of public reception, and integration policies, on the access of asylum seekers and refugees to basic and public resources during COVID19 pandemic

One of the topics of this Panel refers to minorities’ access to basic and public social resources in receiving countries, including both migrants’ perceptions/experiences and service providers’ needs and views. We aim to discuss these issues, by presenting the first conclusions of the research made under the scope of PPEACE (Public Policies and Reception of Foreign Citizens Project), co-financed by the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF). The Project aims to contribute to scientific advancement in Public Policies and better-informed policy options for the reception of asylum seekers and refugees, in Europe and particularly in Portugal. Based on the results of 183 questionnaires applied between October 2020 and February 2021to asylum seekers and refugees, public entities, and NGO representatives - discussed in a focus group -, we analyze the impact that the pandemic had on public policies for reception and integration, including the access of this vulnerable population to public resources, satisfaction of basic needs, and most affected dimensions, according to the perceptions of the interviewees. The results of this empirical study demonstrate that the perceptions of recipients and implementers of public policies in times of COVID19 are two sides of the same mirror, and can differ considerably. In this sense, the analysis of both perspectives reinforces the importance of participatory processes in understanding the impacts of public policies on vulnerable groups, on access to fundamental rights and satisfaction of basic needs. This study also reinforces that crisis, such as the health crisis caused by COVID19 pandemic, increase pre-existing vulnerabilities.