On Thursday, 7 April, MEPs adopted—by 509 votes in favour, 3 against, and 47 abstentions—a resolution on the protection of children and young people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
They had debated the issue on Tuesday with European Commission Vice-President Dubravka Šuica and Commissioner Ylva Johansson (see EUROPE 12926/17). The adopted resolution insists on the creation of humanitarian corridors and measures to facilitate their integration into the host countries’ communities.
The European Parliament also insists that children be protected from trafficking networks and recommends that child protection officers be present at the borders “to be able to swiftly and accurately identify vulnerable children, record their identity and nationality as well as their specific needs”.
“Services, such as psychosocial support, maternal health support, protection against gender-based violence, family tracing and support for family reunification should be offered within the national child protection systems along with full access to all basic services and appropriate care”.
Unaccompanied and separated children and children in institutional care should be appointed a guardian by the host country’s child protection services. Their well-being and whereabouts should also be continuously monitored after they arrive in the EU.
The resolution also calls on host countries to ensure access to education, since 378 secondary and higher education institutions have been destroyed in Ukraine to date.
In addition, the European Parliament calls for the promotion of relocation mechanisms, “including safe, fast and coordinated transportation across the Member States for children and their families already present in neighbouring Member States, especially for unaccompanied children and children with disabilities, who require specific care”.
Link to the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/16n (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)