Protecting children on the move in Greece
METAdrasi – Action for Migration and Development, was founded in December 2009 with the mission to facilitate the reception and integration of refugees and migrants in Greece. As a prominent transit and arrival country for refugees and migrants entering Europe, Greece faces many challenges to the protection of children on the move. Through the provision of a comprehensive safety net of activities, METAdrasi’s programmes aim to address critical and protracted gaps relating to unaccompanied children’s care.
As part of these activities, METAdrasi provides accommodation facilities in order to minimise and ideally eliminate the time spent by unaccompanied minors in detention centers, and carries out missions to safely escort them from precarious conditions to proper accommodation. They are also pioneering guardianship, foster care and, specifically for ages 16-18, supported independent living. Additionally, METAdrasi works to provide protection and support to vulnerable groups, including interpretation, certification of victims of torture and legal aid, as well as a number of education and integration initiatives.
Approach
METAdrasi takes a rights-based approach to protecting vulnerable groups, particularly children on the move. As an organisation, they are determined to uphold and protect the fundamental human rights of all those displaced and persecuted through innovative interventions.
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