Strengthening the Human Rights Protection in the Context of Migration in Türkiye

Back Training on child protection in the context of migration organised in Ankara

Serkan PAPILA

Modified 1 Year ago.

Training on child protection in the context of migration organised in Ankara

The first round of the training programme on Child protection in the context of migration was held in Ankara on 6-8 September 2023. The 3-day training was organised in the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe action “Strengthening the human rights protection in the context of migration in Türkiye”.

The training was tailored to the needs of the personnel of the Presidency of Migration Management (PMM), the authority of Türkiye responsible for the overall migration and international protection affaires in Türkiye. Considering the overall mandate of the PMM, the training covered a wide range of topics including the domestic and international legal framework on child protection in migration, determining the best interests of the child, legal regulations on interviewing children, and the functioning of the child protection system.

The training sessions were highly interactive which facilitated discussions on the challenges faced such as the risk of human trafficking, violence, exploitation, and immigration detention as well as access to child-friendly information and procedures. Participants reported that the content of the training was well-prepared and tailored to their needs. Through this training, 39 participants from the PMM enhanced their knowledge on a variety of topics relevant to their work and became better equipped to ensure the human rights protection of children in the context of migration.

At the end of the training, the participants reaffirmed their willingness to engage in further co-operation in capacity-building activities in the future. Türkiye hosts the highest number of refugees in the world, out of which a large percentage is children. Capacity-building activities aim at supporting the local authorities in addressing persisting challenges in the field and protecting the human rights of persons on the move, especially children, in line with international and European standards.

The action “Strengthening the human rights protection in the context of migration in Türkiye” is implemented within the framework of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

Ankara 6 – 8 September 2023

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The action “Strengthening the human rights protection in the context of migration in Türkiye” aims at supporting the authorities of Türkiye in enhancing detention conditions and ensuring that appropriate procedural safeguards are in place in line with European and international standards in the context of migration. Special attention will be given to strengthening guarantees for the identification, protection and referral of persons in vulnerable situations, especially children. The action will aim at fostering multi-disciplinary co-operation and strengthening the capacities of relevant authorities and other professionals in the field.

This action is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, running from 2023 until 2025.

What are the goals and objectives of the action?

to ensure detention conditions and procedural safeguards in the context of migration are in line with European and international standards
to improve procedures and inter-agency mechanisms for the protection of persons in a vulnerable situation, especially unaccompanied children

Who benefits from the action?

the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, Ombudsperson's Office, Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye, Bar Associations, Ministry of Family and Social Services, Presidency of Migration Management, Law Enforcement Authorities
lawyers
civil society organisations (CSOs)
migrants, asylum seekers and refugees

How does the action work?

through capacity building (with a focus on the MoFSS, PMM, NHREIT, the Ombudspersons' Office, law enforcement agencies, and UTBA)
through development of tools (e.g. context specific HELP courses, and new HELP courses currently being developed by the Council of Europe)
through awareness raising (lawyers, CSOs, university students)
through co-ordination meetings involving also the CSOs: on assessment of needs and challenges in practice as well as policy level consultations
through small grants for CSOs including the Bar Associations

What do we expect to achieve?

Protection of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees’ rights in Türkiye is advanced in line with European standards.

What is the budget of the action?

The total budget of the action is 800 000 EUR.

The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).

How to get more information?

Council of Europe: Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law
Horizontal Facility website and e-mail address

About Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye

The “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.