UNICEF and Piraeus Bank join forces to support and strengthen child protection

ATHENS 22 NOVEMBER 2023 – Today’s signing of official agreements between the UNICEF Office in Greece and Piraeus Bank marks the start of an important collaboration, aimed at developing a programme to strengthen child protection in the country.

An initiative that aims to reinforce cooperation between the competent authorities involved in cases of child abuse and neglect, through the development of child-centred procedures. In addition, standard tools will be developed to enhance the equitable treatment of all children who are at risk, by designing a unified data collection system for child survivors of abuse and neglect. A system that will empower competent authorities in decision and policy-making to ensure a high level of protection for all children.

According to the Council of Europe and UNICEF, 1 in 8 children worldwide have been sexually abused or exploited at some point in their lives. In Europe, around 1 in 5 children are estimated to have suffered some form of sexual violence and between 70 and 85% of children know their abuser. A third of abused children never tell anyone about their abuse [1]. 

Although Greece has taken significant steps in recent years to address this serious issue, there is still an imperative need to create a strong institutional framework for child protection against all forms of violence, with an emphasis on prevention, through specialized child protection services.

"We are particularly pleased to join forces with Piraeus Bank, an organization with a significant social contribution and a track record which proves that it invests substantially in the protection and well-being of children through its initiatives. Children need to feel safe at home, at school, in their neighbourhood. Together, we aspire to contribute to strengthening the child protection system in Greece and creating a society where every child is safe to grow, develop and thrive," said UNICEF Diplomatic Representative in Greece, Dr. Ghassan Khalil.

"It is a great honour and pleasure for us at Piraeus Bank to cooperate with the most emblematic and active international organization for children, undertaking joint actions in Greece to protect them against all forms of violence and to support their rights. These actions add particular value and depth to the multifaceted corporate social responsibility programme we are implementing. Our commitment to the Greek society is to work systematically for the social progress and well-being of all, without discrimination and exclusion that particularly affects our most vulnerable citizens. Child protection, as a top social and institutional priority, is our duty and is situated at the heart of our actions", said Christos Megalou, CEO of Piraeus Bank.

The programme is implemented in the framework of Piraeus Bank's EQUALL for a society of equal people and includes as its main pillars gender equality, support for the younger generation and vulnerable social groups. EQUALL's actions aim to eliminate gender discrimination, exclusion and stereotypes, abolish all forms of violence, empower women and vulnerable people and promote equal opportunities for all people to access education, culture, financial independence and personal development.

[1] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2021/698789/EPRS_ATA(2021)698789_EN.pdf