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.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder
Power: 220 and 280 horsepower
Torque: 350 and 360Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT
On sale: now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Best Foreign Language Film nominees
Capernaum (Lebanon)
Cold War (Poland)
Never Look Away (Germany)
Roma (Mexico)
Shoplifters (Japan)
if you go
