Less than a third of children seeking safety in Greece have their asylum claims approved, leaving them in legal limbo and vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, according to a new report by Save the Children.
Greece is one of the main routes into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Hundreds of migrants died off Greek shores last month when an overcrowded smugglers' boat capsized and sank.
In a report on Thursday, Save the Children said that 981 out of 3,175 asylum requests logged in Greece last year by unaccompanied children – up to 18 years old – were accepted.
The situation in Greece is out of line with many EU countries, where almost half of member states grant residence permits to unaccompanied girls and boys.
"These figures suggest many lone children on the move were denied the right to protection and left without the legal documentation needed to enable them to remain in the country," the non-government organisation said.
It blamed bureaucracy for leaving such minors to live in Greece unofficially and without documentation, a situation making their already parlous existence even more precarious by increasing the risk of violence, abuse and exploitation.
"Undocumented children live in a state of insecurity and fear of deportation. This fear is particularly sharp for children who are mistakenly registered as adults," Save the Children said.
It called for "a special residence permit for unaccompanied children" who lose their asylum, to allow better access to mental health and other medical services, as well as education for what is one of the most vulnerable group of refugees and migrants.
Lefteris Papagiannakis, director of the Greek Council for Refugees, says that Greece should "keep pace with other EU countries" and offer children official documents and protection as soon as they reach Greek shores.
“Denied legal documentation, children can also accumulate debts from covering their basic needs, leaving them even more exposed to abuse,” Mr Papagiannakis said.
Greece applies the "safe third country" principle, where a child must explain to authorities why they did not apply for asylum in the first safe country they passed through en route to Greece.
Children facing return to their home country or a safe third country often decide to continue their perilous journey to other EU countries. Due to a lack of papers, many will be exposed to risks including violence and exploitation by people smugglers.
Daniel Gorevan, senior advocacy adviser at Save the Children, said: “Most lone children have their asylum claims rejected, forcing them to live in insecurity and fear, at risk of exploitation and abuse. Unaccompanied children rely on Greece’s legal framework to offer them protection and safety – the government must ensure all these children have a residence permit.”
