On 27-28 May 2019, in Lisbon, the Council of Europe and UNHCR are organsing a seminar on Effective Protection of Refugee and Migrant Children in Portugal. The seminar brings together some 80 participants from relevant Portuguese authorities, including the Ministry of Internal Administration, Immigration and Borders Service, the High Commission for Migration, the National Commission for the Promotion of Rights and the Protection of Children and Young People, legal professionals, and the Portuguese Ombudsperson, as well as other national and international stakeholders.

The aim of the seminar is to discuss ways to strengthen the effective protection of refugee and migrant children in Portugal in a comprehensive manner. Topics to be explored include age assessment, best interests within the asylum procedure, selected ECtHR case-law in the field of migration and asylum, provision of child friendly information, guardianship and alternatives to detention. The implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Refugee and Migrant Children in Europe (2017-2019) will inter alia be presented as well as relevant findings from country reports of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees.