The Council of Europe organised a conference in Yerevan on 22 and 23 May to advance the protection of children in Armenia, particularly in the event of crises. The conference titled "Strengthening the Protection of Children in Armenia", brought together over 80 public officials, child rights experts and professionals to explore European standards and assess current efforts in safeguarding children’s rights.
Children are among the most vulnerable groups during and after crises, facing complex challenges that require coordinated action by national authorities, civil society, and international partners.
The event served as a platform for dialogue and co-operation, highlighting Armenia’s progress in child protection and identifying areas for further improvement.
Thematic panel discussions covered important topics, including guardianship systems for unaccompanied minors in migration and strengthening the psychosocial support capacities of Armenian professionals working with children. Participants also examined how to further strengthen national systems to better respond to the needs of children in post-conflict and emergency contexts.
Maxime Longangué, Head of Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, and Tatevik Stepanyan, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Affairs of Armenia, opened the conference with their welcome remarks.
“Unfortunately, conflicts and crises deeply affect children, leading to long-term physical, emotional, and social challenges. The Council of Europe supports member states in developing and promoting standards on human rights for children in crisis, including migration and in building strong child protection systems that can adopt to such situations. The Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child 2022-2027 emphasises the importance of strengthening national legislation and practice to align with international standards. Additionally, the implementation of the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on Effective Guardianship in the context of migration plays a key role in strengthening these efforts”, underlined Mr Longangué.
Overview of the Conference objectives and expected outcomes were presented by Zaruhi Gasparyan, Head of Co-operation and Capacity Building Unit in the Council of Europe’s Children's Rights Division, followed by a keynote speech on the vital need for protecting children in times of and after crisis addressed by Panagiota Margaroni, a member of Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF).
The Conference was organised under the Council of Europe’s project "Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context" within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan 2023-2026 for Armenia.