Committed to prioritizing and advancing the United Nations Children and Armed Conflict Agenda (CAAC) during its tenure on the Security Council (2025/26), on October 3, the Permanent Mission of Greece, together with the Mission of Panama co-organised a special side event on the linkages between child trafficking and the grave violations of children’s rights during armed conflicts.
The event was addressed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba, as well as the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Persons, Siobhán Mullally. In their address, they presented the results of a UN study on the matter, which was conducted with the purpose to identify and report weaknesses of child protection systems during armed conflicts and recommend ways of first preventing children from being exploited and ensure accountability for the perpetrators.
For Greece in particular, the situation is not unfamiliar to its authorities. Given the country’s geographical position and geography, Greece has had had ample experience in managing migration flows, especially since 2015, when the conflict in Syria created the conditions for unaccompanied minors and trafficked children to reach our shores. Greek authorities were prompt in creating the necessary comprehensive support mechanism and safety net, to avoid these children being preyed on. Within a decade, this support mechanism has grown into a holistic integration program, including, mentorship, continued legal protection and, if possible, family reunification.