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09 December 2022

Greece: Protection of unaccompanied minors

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International conventions, EU law and national legislation dictate that systems must act in the best interests of the child and safeguard their rights. The lack of an integrated system for the protection of unaccompanied minors can leave children exposed to significant protection risks and unable to exercise their fundamental rights.

In 2018, Law 4558 introduced - for the first time in Greece - a regulatory institutional framework for the guardianship system for unaccompanied minors. Then, in 2022, the Special Secretariat for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors of Greece's Ministry of Migration and Asylum created a national strategy for the protection of unaccompanied minors. The strategy is built around pillars of action that ensure:

  • the comprehensive protection and promotion of children's rights;
  • the search for and implementation of sustainable solutions for every unaccompanied minor;
  • the effective protection of children from all forms of violence, exploitation and abuse;
  • the modernisation of the system for collecting and processing data on unaccompanied minors and their accommodation structures.

In July 2022, Law 4960 created a national guardianship system and framework for the accommodation of unaccompanied minors and other activities of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. This law promotes the development of the integrated system for the protection of unaccompanied minors in Greece, by implementing the national strategy for their protection. This is achieved through procedures that include creating an up-to-date registration system to keep track of unaccompanied minors being supported by protection measures, and establishing an immediate response mechanism for minors living in precarious conditions.

For further information, find the relevant legal documents attached below.

Law 4960_2022 National Guardiasnhip System and Accommodation Framework for UAMs Greece
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(326.34 KB - PDF)
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National Strategy for the protection of UAMs Greece 2022
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(1.12 MB - PDF)
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Details

Geographic area
Greece
Contributor type
National governmental actor
Original source
Posted by
Antigone
Country Coordinator

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