23 December 2024

Data from the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) indicates that the number of unaccompanied or separated children arriving in the country in 2024 has more than doubled to an estimated 3,000 this year. Aid agencies are describing this as a “children’s emergency unlike anything seen in recent years.”

Aid groups are reporting that hundreds of children on the Greek islands of Samos, Leros and Kos are sleeping rough without access to clothes or shoes or adequate places to shelter, as authorities struggle to manage a record number of unaccompanied minors arriving, the British daily newspaper The Guardian reported today (December 23).

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) says that the number of unaccompanied or separated children has surged from 1,409 last year to an estimated 3,000 this year.

Sofia Kouvelaki, director of the Home Project which supports migrant and refugee children, described the situation to The Guardian as a “children’s emergency unlike anything seen in recent years.”

NGOs are calling for the Greek government to implement emergency measures to transfer minors to safe shelters and protect the reportedly 1,500 unaccompanied minors nationwide who are left on their own.

Unaccompanied minors, as defined by European and Greek law, are children from third countries or stateless individuals who arrive in Greece without a parent or guardian. They may also include children who were separated from their families during their migration or those removed from their families for protection reasons while in Greece.

Political unease driving migration growth

A new trafficking route from Libya to Crete coupled with the eruption of armed conflict in the Middle East is reportedly one of the main reasons behind this rise in child arrivals.

Last week, Greek Migration Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos warned that this growing congestion on irregular migration routes is likely to remain a concern well into the coming year:

“Geopolitical unrest, including three ongoing wars — most recently [the changing situation in] Syria — and the climate crisis are driving many to flee their homes to survive,” he said.

Recently arrived minors in Greece who fled violence, war and persecution can be forced to spend up to three weeks in fenced “safe areas” before being transferred to shelters for unaccompanied minors. Children who arrive in the country with their family members can leave these camps, while unaccompanied minors have to remain in a confined space during this time.

File photo: Unaccompanied minors are defined as children and underage youths from third countries or stateless individuals who arrive in their country of origin without a parent or guardian | Photo credit: EMERGENCY/G.Micalizzi

Guardians as a part of the support system

The plight of unaccompanied minors, who lack the support and attention of family members, is of particular concern amid this growing crisis of homeless children.

Nikos Alexiou, a member of the UNICEF Child Protection Team in Greece, explained the various steps that are involve in the reception and processing of unaccompanied children: Upon arrival, these minors are hosted in so-called Registration and Identification Centers before being placed in care arrangements based on their age and family status.

Emergency facilities are available for children identified to be in precarious conditions.

Alexiou also explained the importance of the National Guardianship Project launched in 2024, which ensures consistent protection of and support for unaccompanied minors by implementing a standardized legal framework. Guardians are assigned to juvenile migrants to advocate for the rights and well-being of vulnerable children.

“All in all, guardians are there to represent them, to defend their rights, to facilitate their participation and safeguard their overall well-being and best interest. They assist in determining a long term and sustainable solution for the children and connect them with necessary services,” said Alexiou.

Conflicting reports

In October, the Human Rights Committee commended Greece for its ongoing efforts to support unaccompanied minors, highlighting the country’s recent advancements in asylum services and infrastructure.

The report specifically cited the National Emergency Response Mechanism which “has assisted thousands of unaccompanied minors in precarious situations since 2021.”

“Additionally, Greece introduced a national guardianship system to improve support for vulnerable asylum seekers during initial reception last year,” the encouraging report read.

However in July, the Save the Children NGO released a report revealing the compounded risks that children traveling to Greece have to endure throughout their migration journey, not just in the lead-up to their arrival.

“There are no safe, legal migration channels, forcing children to risk their lives,” Fileri Kyriaki, a lawyer with the Greek Council for Refugees said in a statement.

“[In Kos,] there is a chronic lack of medical services and insufficient infrastructure for both migrants and locals. Vulnerability screenings and essential health care are nearly impossible.”