The delay in delivering justice in Greece, is an issue often discussed, since it becomes an obstacle to the lives of thousands of Greek citizens affecting even more the most vulnerable social groups. The story of Ms. E.E. is such a case managed by the legal service of the Athens Solidarity Center.

Ms. E.E. came to Greece a decade ago for a better life, believing that here she could create her own family, by entering a relationship with a Greek Citizen and giving birth to their daughter. But the reality turned out to be very different, as the father of her child was already married and refused to recognise his own child. Frustrated, alone, without a job, occasionally hosted by friends, without legal documents and with a 4-year-old girl to look after, Ms. E.E. turned to the legal service of the Athens Solidarity Center to start her life all over again.

In 2019, the Centre’s legal service filed a lawsuit for the recognition of the paternity of her child, after many failed extrajudicial attempts for the voluntary recognition of the child by its father. After multiple and difficult legal battles, the efforts finally bore fruit. Four years later, the decision of the Court of First Instance was delivered, which ruled in favour of the beneficiary of the Centre, Ms. E.E., and recognised the Greek national as the biological father of her child, thus paving the way to claim all the rights provided for by law for her and her child.

* Since August 1st, 2023, the operation of the Athens Solidarity Center is supported by the Swiss-Greek Cooperation Programme | Embassy of Switzerland in Greece to reducing economic and social disparities in the EU and by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

**Since August 2022, the Athens Solidarity Center is financed by EEA Grants with ΣΟΛ Crowe and HumanRights360 as the fund operator.

***The Center is also supported by the Municipality of Athens.