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Launch of handbook on Family reunification for refugee and migrant children
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, is today launching the handbook “Family reunification for refugee and migrant children - standards and promising practices”. The handbook focuses on the reunification of families with...
Save the date: Webinar to launch the publication “Family reunification for refugee and migrant children: standards and promising practices”
Webinar organised by Council of Europe Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, on Thursday, 2 July 2020, 9.30 – 12.00. The aim of the event is to discuss ongoing challenges for family reunion throughout Europe, for frontline...
Alternatives to immigration detention: Council of Europe and UNHCR launch new course
Ahead of World Refugee Day on 20 June, the Council of Europe is launching a HELP/UNHCR free online course on Alternatives to Immigration Detention with the aim of supporting legal and other professionals working on migration. While the interest in managing migration without depriving people of...
Fundamental rights of refugees and migrants at European borders
Joint publication from Council of Europe and Fundamental Rights Agency (EU) The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees of the Council of Europe, together with the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) have published a note on the main fundamental rights...
Migration and refugees: Council of Europe presents achievements and sets out new objectives
In a report published today, the Council of Europe takes stock of achievements and sets out new objectives in protecting vulnerable migrants and refugees, including children. “The Council of Europe will continue to play a key role in the protection and promotion of human rights of the most...
Drahoslav Štefánek: new Special Representative for Migration and Refugees
Today, on the occasion of International Migrants Day, the Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić announced the appointment of Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek as her new Special Representative on migration and refugees. The Council of Europe has followed the situation of refugees and migrants...
Council of Europe participates in the first Global Refugee Forum in Geneva
Today, on the occasion of the first Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Switzerland, the Council of Europe highlighted areas where it can provide an added value, namely in the sphere of protection of the human rights of refugees. Representing the Council of Europe at the Global Refugee Forum, the...
Promoting child-friendly approaches in the area of migration: standards, guidance and current practices
On 9 December 2019, the Office of the Special Representative on migration and refugees is launching the publication “Promoting child-friendly approaches in the area of migration: standards, guidance and current practices”. The launch event is organized jointly with Council of Europe office in...
First meeting of focal points dealing with migration issues at national level
Representatives of relevant ministries from 25 Council of Europe member states gathered in Strasbourg on 28-29 November 2019 for a two-day meeting to discuss human rights challenges in the field of migration. Organised by the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General on...
Council of Europe-UNHCR seminar on protecting refugee and migrant children in Portugal
Key stakeholders from the Council of Europe, UNHCR (the United Nation’s refugee agency) and national experts from Portugal gathered in Lisbon this morning for the start of a seminar to discuss the “Effective Protection of Refugee and Migrant Children in Portugal”. The two-day event, organised...
The Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees, Tomáš Boček, completes his mandate
Today, 30 April 2019, Ambassador Tomáš Boček completes his mandate as the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees. Since his appointment in January 2016, Tomáš has contributed extensively to the Council of Europe’s visibility in the field of migration with regular...
Two Western Balkan countries still struggle with migration flows but face different challenges
Commending Bosnia and Herzegovina in its effort to provide shelter and basic services to the high number of arrivals of migrants and refugees, the Secretary General’s Special Representative on migration and refugees Tomáš Boček, stressed in a report published today, that access to asylum...
Young refugees should receive additional temporary support after the age of 18, recommends the Committee of Ministers
Recommendation of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers to member states
Integration policies should not pursue migration-control goals
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on migration and refugees Tomáš Boček has published an Issue Paper on human rights aspects of immigrant and refugee integration policies based on a comparative assessment of 11 Council of Europe member states. The Issue Paper focuses on specific...
Alternatives to the detention of migrants: how we can make it work
A variety of concrete examples and practices of alternatives to the detention of migrants from different corners of Europe were presented to some 200 participants at an International conference on Effective Alternatives to the Detention of Migrants, organised jointly by the Council of Europe, the...
Conference on Effective Alternatives to the Detention of Migrants
The Conference seeks to identify ways to make alternatives to the administrative detention of migrants more effective, ensuring compliance with immigration procedures while upholding human rights. The emphasis is on supporting States in strengthening their capacity to implement alternatives to...
Concrete achievements in 2018 to ensure the protection of refugee and migrant children
The Special Representative is taking stock on concrete results achieved in 2018 in the implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan on protecting migrant and refugee children in Europe (2017-2019). Today, he publishes a visual presentation of all actions achieved so far in protecting...
Council of Europe Bank loan to Nuremberg for education and refugee integration
The governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) Dr Rolf Wenzel and the Special Representative of the Secretary General on migration and refugees, Ambassador Tomáš Boček, are taking part in a signing ceremony in Nuremberg today, between the CEB and the city of Nuremberg, of a...
Special Representative on migration and refugees supports UN Global Compact at conference in Morocco
On 10-11 December 2018, in Marrakech, the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Ambassador Tomáš Boček, is representing the Council of Europe at the Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The...
Council of Europe Development Bank provides financial assistance for refugee healthcare in Ceuta and Melilla
The Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Ambassador Tomáš Boček, attended the Council of Europe Development bank’s (CEB) signature ceremony of a grant agreement with Instituto Nacional de Gestión Sanitaria (INGESA), in Melilla today. The CEB is...
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