General Secretary for Vulnerable Persons participates in high-level meeting on Ukrainian children

On 11 May, the General Secretary for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection represented Greece at the High-Level Meeting of the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children in Brussels. Present in the meeting were all members of the International Alliance, as well as high-ranking representatives of international organizations and institutions. Among them were 23 Foreign Ministers, representatives of the Council of Europe, the United Nations (UN), UNICEF, as well as the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

In his intervention, the General Secretary for Vulnerable Persons reiterated Greece’s firm commitment to international law and the protection of child rights, condemning the illegal abduction and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children as a consequence of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Particular emphasis was placed on the principle of the best interests of the child, as well as the need to strengthen mechanisms for tracing, identification and safe return of minors, in close cooperation with Ukrainian authorities and international partners. He also noted that the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection continues to support children from Ukraine, who are in Greece, through protection and social support measures, including housing, access to education and psychosocial support, as well as through initiatives to host groups of children, such as summer camp programs.

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