The Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe on the Situation of the Children of Ukraine, Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir, addressed the European Parliament’s subcommittee on human rights ordinary meeting on 11 November.
She reiterated a central part of her mandate, that of raising awareness of the plight of children of Ukraine, wherever they are, and of cooperating effectively with all stakeholders both within the Council of Europe and beyond, to ensure that the most acute issues facing these children are kept high on the political agenda, and to coordinate all efforts to maximise impact.
“Any efforts to ensure justice will be compromised if the plight of the children of Ukraine is not adequately addressed,” the Special Envoy stated, adding that accountability and trauma-informed care are vital preconditions to any sustainable reconstruction of Ukraine.
The Special Envoy reiterated her readiness to work with Ylva Johansson, the Special Envoy for Ukrainians in the EU and Carina Ödebrink, the newly appointed OSCE PA Special Envoy for the return of Ukrainian children, as well as all other stakeholders, to advance the cause.
