COVID-19 και δικαιώματα του παιδιού : η εξέλιξη των ευρωπαϊκών πολιτικών και η περίπτωση της Ελλάδας
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Keywords
Δικαιώματα των παιδιών ; Παιδική προστασία ; Εκπαίδευση ; Σύμβαση για τα Δικαιώματα του Παιδιού ; COVID-19 ; Πανδημία ; Ευρωπαϊκές πολιτικές ; Εθνικές πολιτικές ; Children rights ; Child protection ; Education ; Convention on the Rights of the Child ; Pandemic ; European policies ; National policies ; Greek policiesAbstract
This paper seeks to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's rights and to examine the policy responses and practices implemented at national and European level to protect children during this crisis. Based on qualitative data collection methods, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with relevant employees of organisations working on children and their protection in Greece. Through the analysis of the research questions, the following conclusions emerged: First, European policies on children's rights evolved during the pandemic, although they were not among the priorities of European governments, with an emphasis on protecting the health and well-being of children and promoting their psychosocial development. National policies were influenced by the European ones and tried to adapt to children's needs, focusing on education, access to health care and psychosocial support. However, the outbreak of the pandemic suppressed some of the rights of children, and made the global economic situation much more difficult, with the result that funding in this area was deemed inadequate. In Greece, certain areas of children's rights have been most affected by the pandemic, such as education, access to health care and psychosocial services and protection from any form of violence. As far as children's rights organisations in Greece are concerned, they responded to the needs of children during the pandemic by providing health, education and psychosocial support services. Finally, as it became clear from the research conducted, in the post-COVID era, it is expected that in the post-COVID era, there will be an emphasis on restoring and strengthening children's rights, aiming to a broader coordination between European and national policies.