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Civil servants and professionals enhance their capacity in effective guardianship of unaccompanied and separated children

On 11-12 October the Council of Europe organised a two-day workshop on effective guardianship, bringing together around 30 participants from national authorities.

The participants included representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Office of the Human Rights Defender, self-government bodies from several communities in Armenia, and civil society representatives.

The workshop aimed to improve the understanding and implementation of guardianship for children, including unaccompanied and separated children.

It covered key topics such as international and domestic legal frameworks regulating guardianship, its procedural application in Armenia, and specific considerations in migration and post-crisis contexts.

A particular emphasis of the discussion was on the "best interest of the child" principle and on the co-ordination among state authorities involved in guardianship processes.

Through this initiative the Council of Europe aimed to strengthen co-operation between relevant authorities on protecting vulnerable children while also ensuring effective application of the European human rights standards on guardianship.

The workshop was organised within the framework of the project “Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context”, which is part of the Council of Europe comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026.

 



 

DILIJAN, ARMENIA 11-12 OCTOBER 2024
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What is the goal and objective of the project?

"Protecting the Rights of Children in Armenia” project is part of the Council of Europe comprehensive response package to the refugee influx in Armenia in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026. The project aims at supporting the Armenian authorities in their efforts to strengthen the resilience and capacity of the child protection system, in line with international and Council of Europe standards.

The main components of the project are: 1) protection of unaccompanied and separated children in post-conflict context, and 2) protection of children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

The project draws on the Council of Europe's expertise to safeguard children's rights in the aftermath of conflict. Aligned with the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child, the project, inter alia, supports the implementation of the Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in migration contexts.

 Start Date: 01 January 2024

 Duration: 36 months

 Funding: EUR 860 000

Donor: Donors contributing to the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia 2023–2026

Contact Person: Artyom SEDRAKYAN, Senior Project Officer

 

Who benefits from the project?
How does the project work?

The cooperation project will be carried out in line with the priorities laid down in the Council of Europe Action Plan for Armenia for 2023- 2026 .

What do we expect to achieve?
  • The project adopts a multifaceted approach to protect the rights of affected Armenian children by offering legal and policy support aligned with Council of Europe standards;
  • The project focuses on strengthening the capacities of civil servants, focal points, and other professionals to effectively safeguard the rights of Armenian children impacted by the conflict, including those who are unaccompanied and separated;
  • The project aims to raise awareness among both children and parents about effective guardianship and the prevention of violence against children.
Reference documents