The HELP course on “Refugee and migrant children” was launched on 5 November by the European Union and the Council of Europe, in co-operation with Association for Solidarity with Asylum Seekers and Migrants (SGDD-ASAM) and Support to Life (Hayata Destek Derneği) civil society organisations (CSOs). The course was launched for 56 law students, as volunteers of these CSOs representing five different Universities, namely University of Dokuz Eylül, Ege (İzmir), Marmara, İstanbul and Nişantaşı (İstanbul) Universities in Turkey.
Cristian Urse, Head of Council of Europe Office in Ankara welcomed the participants, underlined the importance of this course and thanked University co-ordinators, tutors and participants for their interest and fruitful co-operation.
Konul Gasimova, project manager of the action “Strengthening the rights of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey”, presented briefly the action and highlighted importance of co-operation with law faculties. She encouraged the participants to take an active part in the discussions and to interact with the tutor.
Muhammed Taha Büyüktavşan, seconded, judge, HELP Project Co-ordinator, gave a general overview of the HELP online platform and presented to the participants the opportunities this platform offers. He invited everyone to take part in various courses offered on the platform.
Gizem Üliç, lawyer of the European Court of Human Rights made an overview of legal framework and relevant case law related to refugee and migrant children.
Şirin Tabanlı Yanık, the tutor of the HELP course on Refugee and migrant children, introduced the main topics of the course as well as guided the participants through the course online tools and explained how to use them.
The HELP course on “Refugee and migrant children” consists of the following modules:
- Introduction to the legal framework
- Child-friendly procedures
- Alternatives to detention
- Family reunification
- Social rights and integration
- Guardianship
- Age assessment
The course was prepared within the framework of the action “Strengthening the rights of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey”, part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
