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Since the EU-Turkey deal in 2016, the Aegean islands in Greece transformed from a place of transit to a place of containment. As Greece, nor the EU, was prepared for the number of asylum seekers that ‘suddenly’ arrived. Camp sites were quickly built for temporary utilization. However, temporary turned into protracted. For years, asylum seekers, and in particular vulnerable populations, such as pregnant and lactating women (PLW), were trapped on the islands without a possibility to go elsewhere. Reports on all Aegean islands stated the same: there is not enough food, the food is of bad quality, the food has a low nutritional value, and the lines are long and hostile. Research found that adults regularly received food with inadequate levels of macronutrients, micronutrients, fat, and carbohydrate. Pregnant and lactating women can be seen as part of the most vulnerable populations in the camps, who, in additional, have heightened nutritional needs that usually are not addressed in academic literature. Therefore, this research study aimed to provide an explanatory analysis of the opportunities and challenges that PLW residing in refugee camps on the Aegean islands experience in relation to their wellbeing, since the EU-Turkey Deal. 

Through sequential qualitative multi-methods research design through a literature review and semi-structured expert interviews, the study aimed to use the Capabilities Approach to understand the impact of food assistance on the wellbeing of PLW residing in refugee camps on the Aegean islands since the EU-Turkey deal. Through thematic analysis it found that PLW value three distinct functionings of being nourished, being a good mother, and being protected and safe. The capabilities connected to the first functioning were to be able to access diversified and nutritious food items, and to be able to consume diversified and nutritious food. The capabilities connected to the second functioning were to be able to provide good care, to be able to feed healthy food, and to be able to breastfeed. The capability connected to the third functioning was to be able to be part of a cultural community. Circling back to the main question on the impact of food assistance on wellbeing, it can be concluded that the majority of conversion factors were unable to transform the resource of food assistance into a capability. Therefore, it can be concluded that functionings, meaning wellbeing, cannot be obtained when looking at the situation from a food assistance perspective. In this way, food assistance has a major negative impact on the wellbeing of PLW residing in refugee camps on the Aegean islands since the EU-Turkey deal.