Further strengthening the protection, in the Czech Republic, of people fleeing Ukraine, especially of women and children who are in a vulnerable situation, was the main take of a roundtable discussion co-organized on 26 January 2023 by the Special Representative of the Council of Europe on Migration and Refugees (SRSG) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’s (UNHCR) offices in Prague and Strasbourg.
The online roundtable, which gathered more than 50 participants, was a follow-up to the report of the fact-finding visit to the Czech Republic carried out by SRSG Leyla Kayacik on 4-6 May 2022.
In her opening speech, the SRSG praised the solidarity shown by the Czech authorities, civil society and individuals to people fleeing Ukraine. She underlined that the roundtable offered a good opportunity to follow-up on the findings and recommendations of her report, to have an overview of the current situation and explore avenues to further support the efforts by the authorities.
The Government Commissioner for Human Rights, Klára Šimáčková Laurenčíková, expressed her deep gratitude for the help of international organisations such as UNICEF, UNHCR and IOM, in the initial phase of the arrival of refugees into the Czech Republic. She highlighted the adaptation of capacities and systems to respond to the needs of Ukrainian refugees and working towards ensuring their successful integration as key challenges for all actors for the coming year. The Commissioner also underlined the relevance of Council of Europe standards and tools in helping to overcome these challenges.
The Head of the UNHCR National Office in the Czech Republic, Dejan Kladarin, highlighted that “refugees forced to flee face particular risks, especially children, women and single parents, who may be exposed to additional difficulties including exploitation and abuse. Ensuring adequate protection for refugees requires a robust joint effort between Governments, regional institutions, civil society and UN agencies, to which both UNHCR, and the Council of Europe are fully committed.”
The European Court of Human Rights case-law and the Council of Europe standards on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls were presented, in particular their protection from violence and human trafficking. As part of the discussion on the national approach to child protection, the Council of Europe presented a Handbook on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in crisis and emergency situations (also available in Czech language).
Related Council of Europe standards:
- Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls
- Study on Gender-based asylum claims and non-refoulement: Articles 60 and 61 of the Istanbul Convention (GREVIO) and Manual on working with victims of sexual violence during armed conflict
- Guidance Note on addressing the risks of trafficking in human beings related to the war in Ukraine and the ensuing humanitarian crisis (GRETA)
- Handbook on the protection of children against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in crisis and emergency situations, Checklist Protection of children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse and Compliance reports (Lanzarote Committee)
- Implementation of the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025) (SRSG)
Related UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) standards:
- UNHCR Position on Returns to Ukraine, March 2022
- 2021 UNHCR Best Interests Procedure Guidelines: Assessing and Determining the Best Interests of the Child, May 2021
- Policy on the Prevention of Risk Mitigation and Response to Gender-based Violence, October 2020
- UNHCR Handbook for the Protection of Women and Girls, January 2008
- Ukraine Emergency: Children Fleeing Ukraine - The Advocacy Agenda for Action , April 2022 (UNHCR and UNICEF)
