Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) was founded in 2008 in the US to address gaps in legal services for unaccompanied children. Through strategic partnerships, they provide pro bono legal representation for refugee and migrant children. Over the past decade, KIND has expanded its services to develop a holistic strategy for addressing the needs of these children and the systemic causes of forced migration in the US and around the world.

Many unaccompanied children seeking asylum on the Aegean islands face serious legal challenges, particularly those wrongly registered as adults, which exposes them to significant protection risks. Since 2017, ELIL has become a leading provider of legal assistance to these children, working closely with child protection actors like UNHCR and Praksis to identify and support cases. In 2019, ELIL partnered with KIND to expand this work, enabling hundreds of children to access legal help. As part of KIND Europe, ELIL also connects frontline experience with expert NGOs to advocate for systemic change at the EU level.