Almost 5,500 unaccompanied refugee children live in Greece, data shows
An estimated 5,463 unaccompanied refugee children were living in Greece at the end of January, according to data presented by Deputy Social Affairs Minister Domna Michailidou in Parliament on Thursday.
The data is based on a bi-weekly report compiled by the Labor Ministry's National Center for Social Solidarity (EKKA), with the support from UNICEF.
Out of the total number, 92.5 percent are boys and 7.5 percent are girls, while 9.0 percent are under 14 years old.
Divided by nationality, 44 percent are from Afghanistan, 21 percent are from Pakistan, 11 percent from Syria and another 24 percent are from other countries (not specified).
As for their reported place of stay, 2,103 children live in long-term or temporary accommodation, 1,877 in reception and identification centers, 187 in protective custody, 143 in open temporary accommodation facilities and 76 in emergency accommodation sites.
Another 1,077 children have been reported as living in informal or insecure housing conditions, such as living temporarily in apartments with others, living in squats, being homeless and moving frequently between different types of accommodation.
The numbers are based on accommodation referrals sent to the Service for the Management for Accommodation Requests of Unaccompanied Minors.
