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According to the latest statistics of the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, and the experience of civil society organisations, the situation for unaccompanied children in "Safe Zones" - where they should be accommodated for the minimum possible period of time - is no longer safe for them.
Reports from frontline professionals and media highlight the presence of hundreds of children currently on the Aegean islands, particularly in Samos, Leros and Kos, many of whom are without clothes and shoes, lacking safe accommodation and access to health and education services.
Both on the islands and on the mainland, in the "Safe Zones" of Malakasa and Diavata, unaccompanied children are already waiting weeks for their application for international protection or family reunification with their relatives in other EU Member States to be filed.
Together, 12 organisations - members of the Child Rights Advocacy Network - including the International Rescue Committee Hellas, co-signed a press release highlighting the need to:
1. Immediately register any asylum applications (including family reunification), with priority given to the rapid transfer of unaccompanied children to safe sheltering, where with the assistance of their guardians will receive all necessary services.
2. Strengthening unaccompanied children’s accommodation capacity by increasing the number of places in shelters and/or the number of shelters and semi-independent living arrangements in apartments.
3. The immediate activation of the Relocation mechanism, so that children can be safely transferred to other EU member states, in the context of fair sharing of responsibilities and solidarity, which is also the content of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum.
