France is home to 5.9 million immigrants, including the French "by acquisition" and 4.2 million foreigners (INSEE 2016, from datas 2013). Particularly exposed to factors of social and administrative instability, citizens of third-world countries summed to 3 million in 2017, within that group 49% were women, 22% minors and 13% of people 60 years and older.
Immigrants from third-world countries primarily originate from North Africa (44% of the total), East Europe (15%), West Africa (10%), East Asia (7%) and Central Africa (7%), while some other areas are more common among refugees (South Asia 14% in 2015), asylum seekers (East Africa, 14% ; Middle East, 12%), or migrants in the department's overseas (Caribbean, 67% in French Guiana). Primarily, they reside in the regions of Ile-de-France (42% in 2012), Rhône-Alpes (10%), PACA (8%), and Outre-Mer (5% excluding Mayotte, 7%). Those who benefit from “Aide médicale d’Etat” are commonly located in Ile-de-France.
Certain demographic groups are priority receivers for public health policies and integration, due to the frequency of vulnerable situations they must face. These vulnerable groups tend to largely overlap.
- Women: Of the 1.2 million immigrants of third-world countries, 44% are refugees, 34% are asylum seekers, and 38% are elderly (47% outside of North Africa). They primarily originate from North Africa (41%), East Europe (15%), West Africa (9%), East Asia (9%), Central Africa (7%), and Caribbean (4%).
- Immigrants older than 60 : 320,000 immigrants of third-world countries, primarily originate from North Africa (72%), East Europe (10%), West Africa (4%), and East Asia (4%).
- Asylum Seekers and Refugees : At the end of 2017, 252,000 people were placed under the protection of Ofpra (84% refugees and 16% additional protections), who have also registered 101,000 applications for asylum. The applicants primarily originated from East Europe (29%), West Africa (14%), Middle East (9%), Central Africa (9%), East Africa (8%) and South Asia (7%).
- Unaccompanied Minors and Accompanied Minors : A report from the Senate estimated at 25,000 the number of unaccompanied foreign minors under protection of the ASE (Social Help to Childhood) at the end of 2017, while Ofpra counted 19,000 miners "accompanying" their parents while seeking asylum in 2017, 300 minors joining their parents in refuge, and 5,000 young girls protected against the risk of genital mutilation.
- Sick Foreigners and Foreigners with Unstable Circumstances: At the end of 2016, the Ministry of Interior counted 471,000 people from "third world" holding a temporary residence permit and 250,000 "provisional documents". The same year, among 227,000 new admitted for residence, 32,000 were for "humanitary" reason (14%, this group including the refugees and the "sick foreigners". The number of foreigners staying illegally is sometimes estimated at 400,000 people, including beneficiaries of the Aide médical Etat (AME, Medical Help of State), while 69,000 foreigners were deprived of their liberty in 2016.
In 2017, Comede cared for and supported 6,440 people, 3,758 of those used hotlines (PT) or “des permanences téléphoniques”, 2,361 received help from the Health Center (CDS) or “Centre de santé”, 265 from the Health Rights Center (ESD) and 56 in Marseille. Vulnerable groups in the community are largely represented amongst the patients of Comede and the users of the hotlines, with an overwhelming majority coming from third-world countries (98%).
The patients of Comede originate from 112 different countries, mainly West Africa (33%), North Africa (23%), Central Africa (21%), South Asia (11%), and East Europe (4%). The majority of whom reside in the regions of Ile-de-France, as almost all of those admitted to the Health Center and Health Rights Center, and the vast majority of beneficiaries of national hotlines. The average age is between 33 years (CDS) and 42 years (ESD) and they have been in France on average for 2 years (CDS), 3 years (PT NAT) and 6 years (ESD).
2,219 Women Exiles
1,361 women use hotlines (PT), 751 visit the Health Center (CDS), and 107 visit the Health Rights Center (ESD).
971 Asylum Seekers
789 visit CDS (28% women) and 182 are helped by phone call (29%).
553 Immigrants older than 60
437 are helped by phone call soutenus (55% of women), 92 visit CDS (61%) and 24 visit ESD (13 women).
447 Children Under 18
238 visit CDS (16% of girls), 206 are helped by phone call (38%) with their parents and/or a social worker, and 3 visit ESD (2 girls).
Sick Foreigners and Foreigners with Unstable Circumstances
The patients of Comede are usually found with Unstable Circumstances or “Séjour Précaire” and over a third are suffering from a serious illness. Among the callers of national hotlines, 32% have already requested permission to stay for medical reasons and 29% have already requested asylum.