The European Social Charter of the Council of Europe, serving as a foundation to safeguard social and economic rights across member states, encompasses specific provisions aimed at protecting children's rights, which are particularly relevant to refugee and migrant children. It is an important instrument to ensure that children’s rights are protected and respected across Europe. Strengthening child protection mechanisms and ensuring the rights of vulnerable children are among the priorities of the Council of Europe and its 2023-2026 Action Plan for Armenia. Ratification by Armenia of the Revised European Social Charter in 2004 underscores its commitment to child welfare.
On 25 March 2025, the Council of Europe Office in Yerevan organised a workshop highlighting the crucial role of the Charter and its provisions in protecting children’s rights in Armenia.
Bringing together around 40 national and international stakeholders, the event provided a platform for discussions on the role of the European Social Charter in safeguarding children’s rights, reviewing the national legal framework for child protection, and addressing challenges and opportunities for progress for Armenia. Special attention was given to the rights of refugee and migrant children and the challenges in ensuring their protection.
A keynote address was delivered by Aoife Nolan, President of the European Committee of Social Rights and Professor of International Human Rights Law at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. Professor Nolan emphasised the European Social Charter significance as a fundamental instrument for ensuring social justice and child welfare in society.
By exchanging views on possible solutions to the existing challenges and fostering strategic co-operation, the workshop resulted in a renewed commitment by policymakers, civil society, and international partners to strengthen child protection in Armenia.
The workshop marked a significant step toward enhancing child protection policies, strengthening international co-operation, and implementing solutions ensuring that every child in Armenia, particularly those from refugee and migrant backgrounds, benefits from stronger legal protections and access to essential services.
The workshop was organised by the Council of Europe as part of its projects “Enhancing social human rights in Armenia” and “Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context”, which are part of Council of Europe’s comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023-2026.