Deadline: 18 September 2015
Open to: representatives of state agencies, representative of NGO’s and young refugees and asylum-seekers from Central Europe
Venue: 2-3 November 2015, Budapest, Hungary
Description
Policies and practices in Council of Europe member states governing the transition to adulthood for unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking and refugee children have been identified as a major concern by the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Youth Department and the UNHCR.
The regional seminar aims to develop inter-sectorial cooperation between state agencies, NGO’s. Young refugees and asylum-seekers from Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, and potentially UNHCR representatives from Bulgaria and Moldova to support unaccompanied and separated refugee and asylum-seeking children in transition to adulthood.
The seminar objectives are:
- To review national practices in Central Europe as regards unaccompanied and separated refugee and asylum-seeking children in transition to adulthood and identify key problems;
- To compare findings from other Central European countries with those identified in four countries covered by the CoE-UNHCR joint report;
- To identify areas of cooperation between stakeholders working with young refugees and asylum-seekers for improving the situation of the persons concerned;
- To review the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly recommendation 1996 (2014) and identify starting points for implementation in practices and policies at national level;
- Compile good practices/ concrete measures and consider the relevance of the recommendations set out in the joint report of the Youth Department and UNHCR in Central Europe;
- To develop a plan of action that would include implementation of good practices and necessary legal changes as regards key problems addressed in the joint report and other possible issues raised in the context of the seminar. The plan of action will list concrete measures that should be implemented to improve inter alia access to accommodation, to employment, etc.
Eligibility
The regional seminar will invite representatives of state agencies, representative of NGO’s and young refugees and asylum-seekers from Central Europe who are:
- Working on issues effecting unaccompanied and separated refugee and asylum-seeking children in transition to adulthood;
- Committed to seek cooperation with other stakeholders working for unaccompanied and separated refugee and asylum-seeking children in transition to adulthood;
- In a position to disseminate the outcomes of the seminar among the colleagues in their organisation, agencies and networks and other stakeholders;
- Available for the full duration of the 2 day seminar 2-3 November 2015.
Costs
Accommodation and meals will be provided to all participants, by the Youth Department of the Council of Europe at the European Youth Centre in Budapest. Travel expenses of participants, on presentation of tickets and invoices, will be reimbursed in full by the Council of Europe according to the Council of Europe travel rules.
How to apply?
All those interested to attend the regional seminar and that fit the profile of participants should complete the application form attached to official call and return it to Menno Ettema at menno.ettema@coe.int by 18 September 2015.
For more information and application, please download the official call.