One in three children in Greece at risk of poverty: UNICEF

ATHENS -- One out of three, approximately 568,000, children in Greece were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to a report of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) released this week.

In the annual report for the state of children in Greece, UNICEF noted that 1,689 children were living in institutions, while refugee and migrant children's access to education stands at 42 percent.

The right of children to protection from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect has been promoted by a strong legal framework in Greece, however, a fragmented child protection system is not adequately covering the needs of children, the UNICEF Greece report added.

Greece is one of the European Union (EU) member states with the highest proportion of children living in poverty, with 31.5 percent of minors affected, compared to 24.2 percent on average in the EU, according to Eurostat data for 2020 released late October this year.

Greek NGOs have also played a role in supporting the children. One of the major NGOs, "The Smile of the Child," said in an emailed press release that it has supported more than 1.8 million children and their families over the years.