Written by: European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL)
KIND’s partner in Greece, European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL), shared the below story below about an unaccompanied child they assisted in the first of half of 2025 which shows how essential their work is to the protection of these children. ELIL helps children alone living in unsuitable and unsafe conditions in refugee camps apply to be reunified with family in other EU countries, challenge incorrect age determinations, and prepare for asylum interviews.
A Child, Not an Adult
ELIL first met the young person in spring 2025 when he was living in a refugee camp about an hour’s drive outside of Athens. He had fled West Africa fearing persecution and was requesting legal support ahead of his asylum interview.
While he was registered at the camp as an adult, it was clear to the ELIL lawyer upon meeting him that the young person was a child. He looked young and uncertain, his manner more like a boy than an adult facing a complex asylum process. He confirmed that he was under 18, and that he had been incorrectly registered as an adult. The camp he lived in was for adults and was a harsh place where visiting the city to go to the hospital or access other services was expensive and complicated; residents confronted ID-controlled gates and surveillance cameras each time they entered or left.
The boy only had a photocopy of his passport, not the original, which made it difficult to prove his age. ELIL’s lawyer immediately informed the relevant authorities and initiated an age assessment procedure. Age determinations are crucial because they determine whether an asylum seeker is treated as a child or an adult, which affects their access to protection and basic services, such as housing and medical care. When age is wrongly assessed, young people can lose vital safeguards and face life in adult camps alone.
The first-stage medical examination was inconclusive and the boy was referred for a psychological assessment as the next step in the process when the medical results are unclear. During this period, ELIL’s lawyer provided regular support, explaining the process repeatedly to the boy to help him cope with stress and confusion. Misinformation from other camp residents had further unsettled him and at one point he considered leaving the camp altogether because he did not feel safe living with adults he did not know.
Eventually, the authorities recognized him as a 16-year-old child, and he was transferred to appropriate accommodation for unaccompanied children. These children are housed outside the camps in a building with shared bedrooms (rather than containers). The children have support from a social worker, lawyer, and psychologist, as well as caregivers who are there around the clock. From a shelter, it’s possible to go to school and access other services, such as extracurricular activities, language support, and community spaces.
The boy moved to a shelter in central Athens, surrounded by people his age and social workers to help him access education, health care, and other basic services essential to his well-being and development. He dreams of becoming a professional soccer player.
Without ELIL’s intervention, the applicant would likely have continued through the asylum process as an adult, missing out on essential safeguards such as protection, access to education and age-appropriate housing. This case highlights the critical role of legal support in identifying and addressing gaps in the system and ensuring the rights of children are upheld.
