On World Children’s Day, 20 November, the Council of Europe released a Mapping study on children of Ukraine’s access to education in Council of Europe member states. The study prepared by the Secretariat of the Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine in collaboration with the Education Department, examines challenges, current practices and effective strategies for ensuring and facilitating access to education for millions of children of Ukraine seeking refugee in Council of Europe member states.
War and mass displacement typically amplify the risks linked to human trafficking, and the war in Ukraine is no exception. Children, particularly those displaced by Russia’s war of aggression, face an increased risk of human trafficking. In response to this alarming phenomenon, a report on “Understanding the risks of human trafficking, including for the purpose of sexual and labour exploitation of children of Ukraine” was produced by the Secretariat of the Council of Europe's Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine (CGU) in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The report sheds light on the key risks and potential mitigation measures discussed during the Special Hearing on this issue, which took place on 2 July 2024 as part of the CGU’s 3rd plenary meeting.
On 11-12 October, the Council of Europe organised a two-day workshop on effective guardianship in Armenia, bringing together 30 representatives from national and local authorities, as well as civil society. The workshop covered international and domestic legal frameworks regulating guardianship, its procedural application in Armenia, and specific considerations in migration and post-crisis contexts. The event was organised within the framework of the project “Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context”, which is part of the comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026.
