The Council of Europe Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU) held its first meeting in Strasbourg on 30 November - 1 December 2023, bringing together over 85 participants (in person and online) to discuss ways to effectively protect the rights of millions of Ukrainian children residing in Council of Europe member states, who have been forced to flee their homeland since the start of Russia’s war of aggression.
The CGU was set up to ensure practical implementation of the 2023 Reykjavík Declaration, to facilitate dialogue and the exchange of information, in a multilateral setting, on applicable legal standards and policies regarding Ukrainian children residing in Council of Europe member states. The CGU’s focus will be on developing a common understanding of some of the most important legal and policy issues member states are dealing with as a result of the arrival of Ukrainian children on their territories.
On 22 November 2023, the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary general on Migration and Refugees together with UNHCR Romania organised a follow-up roundtable on SRSG fact-finding mission to Romania to discuss protection of children and victims of gender-based violence. Children's Rights Division presented the Council of Europe framework covering refugee and asylum seeking children and, in particular Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration and its Explanatory Memorandum and Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)22 on human rights principles and guidelines on age assessment in the context of migration and its Explanatory Memorandum. In addition, the strategic priority objectives covering migration related issues of the CoE Strategy for the Rights of the Child were presented.
Separately, at its 8th meeting (14-16 November 2023), the Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) took note of a presentation on the first results stemming from the survey carried out among national delegations to review the implementation of Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration and exchanged on key points for the upcoming implementation review report, to be adopted in 2024
