On 18 April, the Council of Europe launched a set of practical tools aimed at helping young migrants and refugees in their transition to adulthood, with the support of the Icelandic Presidency of the Committe of Ministers and the participation of Iceland’s Minister of Education and Children, Ásmundur Einar Daðason.
Addressing an international launching event at the European Youth Centre , entitled “Turning 18 with Confidence: Supporting Migrant and Refugee Children in transition to Adulthood”, Minister Daðason highlighted that although “We normally define childhood up until the age of 18, it is of utmost importance that we as governments continue our support beyond that age, strengthening our systems in co-operation and conversation with the young people themselves. There is no magic transition that happens on a person´s 18th birthday, young people are still the same persons as they were the day before. Therefore, we need to make sure that sensitivity to this fact is an integral part of how governments think, act and prioritise.”
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Leyla Kayacik, acknowledged the resilience of these young people aging out of child protection, and reaffirmed the Council of Europe’s commitment to supporting them in their transition to adulthood, in line with its standards. “Their well-being and successful inclusion are key to the cohesion of host societies and deserve a special focus”, she stated.
Together with a practical guide on the implementation of the Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation (CM/Rec (2019)4), today’s event presented the Roadmap to Adulthood and other tools developed in the framework of the Council of Europe multilateral project “Building Futures, Sharing Good Practices: Migrant Children’s Transition to Adulthood – UACFutures”.
The launch gathered more than a hundred participants, who exchanged experience, drew inspiration from good practices and tools, and improved their knowledge and capacity to help migrant and refugee children along their path to adulthood. In this context, the Youth Department has also organised a workshop with young refugees and youth workers at the European Youth Centre from 17 to 19 April.
The event (*) was co-organised by the Office of the SRSG on Migration and Refugees, the Youth Department and the Co-operation Programmes Division – Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law, with support from the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
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(*) This Event is co-funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Council of Europe.
On 18 April 2023, the Council of Europe is hosting an International Launching Event on “Turning 18 with Confidence: Supporting Migrant and Refugee Children in transition to Adulthood”.
The event is co-organised by the Council of Europe’s Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG ), the Youth Department and the Co-operation Programmes Division – Directorate General Human Rights and Rule of Law (DGI) with the support of the Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe and the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
The aim of the event is to raise awareness and improve the knowledge and capacities of relevant professionals in supporting young refugees and migrants in their transition to adulthood. It will provide an opportunity to present and launch the Guide for the implementation of the Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)4 on supporting young refugees in transition to adulthood , as well as the findings and tools developed in the framework of the multilateral project “Building Futures, Sharing Good Practices: Migrant Children’s Transition to Adulthood – UACFutures”.
In the presence of the Minister of Education and Children of Iceland, Mr. Ásmundur Einar Daðason, participants, representatives of public authorities, international organisations, civil society organisations, young refugees and migrants will engage in a dialogue with a view to promoting the exchange of good practices and know-how in the field.
See the Concept Note and the Agenda for more information.
