25 / 02 / 2021

Unaccompanied minors: Dis-continuum of protection

We discuss the realities of unaccompanied children on the move and attempt to address the varying experiences of children migrating – both positive and negative.

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A few days ago the former artistic director of the Greek National Theatre was detained, following charges pressed on sexual abuse of underage victims. Allegations against him include sexual abuse of unaccompanied minor refugees.

On the second Q&A session with our members, we discuss the realities of unaccompanied children on the move and attempt to address the varying experiences of children migrating – both positive and negative.

What does life hold for the children who have been abandoned to the streets, completely excluded from any benefits, support, or representation of any kind? And, also, is independent child migration necessarily an exploitative or damaging experience for children? For this session, together with us will be a humanitarian worker with deep knowledge on the minors’ experiences in Greece, co-author of a significant report on the issue of exclusion and exploitation of unaccompanied minors.

Meet the speaker

Elina Sarantou is an anthropologist with an MA in Human Rights, currently working for HIAS Greece in Lesvos. She has worked in civil society for over ten years, mainly in the humanitarian and protection sectors. She has developed proposals and strategic papers for highly demanding funders and policymakers on a wide variety of protection issues (asylum, victims of torture, minors in administrative detention, homelessness, etc.).

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