Mandate

The Division on Migration and Refugees (DMR) was created at the Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law (DG1) on 1 February 2025 to follow-up on the action by the former Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees. Its mandate includes suggesting assistance and support to member states, particularly through the Network of Focal Points on Migration, seeking, collecting and analysing information on the human rights situation of migrants and refugees, as well as complementing and co-ordinating activities of other relevant Council of Europe bodies and our action with other international partners, notably the UNHCR, IOM, EU, and its specialised agencies, and other national, regional and international stakeholders, including civil society organisations. The DMR represents the Council of Europe in the UNHCR Nansen Refugee Award Selection Committee, as well as in the Consultative Forums of Frontex and of EUAA.

Back Children in migration: Explanatory memorandum on effective guardianship, and Checklist to protect refugee children from sexual abuse and exploitation

Children in migration: Explanatory memorandum on effective guardianship, and Checklist to protect refugee children from sexual abuse and exploitation

On 15 June 2022, the Committee of Ministers adopted an Explanatory Memorandum to the Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member states on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration. This instrument aims to provide guidance to member states to ensure that comprehensive and child-friendly measures are put in place to uphold and protect the rights of unaccompanied and separated children in migration. The nine guiding principles identified in the Recommendation outline what is required for an effective guardianship system as well as for the implementation of guardianship systems in member states. The Explanatory Memorandum contains additional practical guidance in relation to these nine principles, including Checklists for policy makers, authorities and guardians, as well as key information for children concerned with guardianship.

 

On 5 July 2022 the Checklist prepared by the Lanzarote Committee’s secretariat on the basis of the Committee’s urgent monitoring findings on “Protecting children affected by the refugee crisis from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse” was made available in Ukrainian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak and Romanian (in addition to English and French). This Checklist provides concrete guidance for migration practitioners and policy makers to swiftly identify appropriate measures to take or procedures to follow to prevent and protect children affected by refugee crisis from sexual abuse. It is a practical tool to support the authorities confronted by the arrival of children, in particular those fleeing Ukraine. The Checklist is soon going to be available also in Polish and Slovak.

CHILDREN´S RIGHTS DIVISION
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