Europe is facing its largest population displacement since World War II due to the war in Ukraine, and the majority of refugees have been women and children. The Council of Europe Recommendation on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls, adopted on 20 May 2022, is very relevant at this critical time in Ukraine.

Given its great relevance in Ukraine, the Recommendation was presented on 21 September, after having been translated into Ukrainian by the Council of Europe. The topic of protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls was discussed by 43 participants, including representatives of Ukrainian central government institutions and agencies, the Office of the Government Commissioner on Gender Equality Policy, regional government bodies, Ukrainian civil society organisations and international organisations and projects.

With an inclusive approach, the Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)17 focuses on the protection of rights, the fight against all forms of discrimination and on combating violence against women. The Recommendation  includes promising practices from existing UN and European standards, including the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and the Convention on action against trafficking in human beings.  It addresses issues faced by women and girls: from adequate transit and reception facilities to establishing gender-sensitive asylum policies. The recommendation provides guidance to governments and civil society regarding women’s needs in terms of social services, health, employment, education and participation, to ensure that public policies fully contribute to the integration and empowerment of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls.

The event on protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum seeking women and girls was provided through the Council of Europe project Combatting violence against women in Ukraine (COVAW).

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