Defence for Children International –Greece (DCIG) is the Greek national section of ‘Defence for Children International (DCI)’, an international child-rights movement and non-governmental organization established in 1979 in Geneva and represented in more than 47 countries. ‘Defence for Children International – Greece’ is committed to securing a just and viable future for all children present in the Greek territory. DCIG aims to ensure through its actions that children’s voice is heard and their rights are fully respected in practice.
Since DCIG’s inception in 2016, we are one of the few human rights organizations specifically focused on children’s rights in Greece. Our highest value is the pursuit of each child’s best interests and the enjoyment of their childhood with dignity. To this end, our work is guided by the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), as well as other international, regional and local standards. As a national section of Defence for Children International (DCI), we pledge to follow DCI’s mandate to 'promote and protect children’s rights in accordance with international standards.' At the same time, DCIG autonomously develops its own programs in response to contextual needs of Greece.
Our DCIG team is consisted of staff members with great expertise on both national and international law the area of child protection. Our team is next to the children in need and 24/7 capable of reaching out to them and providing legal assistance. The headquarters of DCIG are based in Athens.
For more than three years, we have supported and advocated for the vulnerable child populations of children on the move, homeless children and children deprived of liberty: providing direct legal services and support to children in urgent need, investigating and documenting children’s rights violations, sharing our specialized legal expertise with other professionals on the field and litigating strategically to bring social change at a European and International level.
DCI’s international structure (DCI holds consultative status on the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Council of Europe) provides the required channel for transforming our national grassroots work into concrete advocacy and policy recommendations at a supra-national level.