(AGENPARL) - Roma, 26 Ottobre 2022 - (AGENPARL) – mer 26 ottobre 2022 [Image]
Ref. CG055(2022)
Refugee women and children: Council of Europe Congress calls for more coordination for a reception respecting human rights in towns and regions
Presented by the co-rapporteurs, Annika Vaikla (Estonia, ILDG) and Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CEE), the report underlines the limits of mass reception facilities, which are often unsuitable, and proposes good practices for local authorities regarding housing, healthcare and education, with a view to ensuring safe reception and respect for the human rights of women and children fleeing their own countries.
“It is estimated that women and children have made up 90% of Ukrainians who have fled abroad since the start of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. Our report notably takes into account the results of a visit made to Poland in July to gather the experiences of Polish towns and cities that are taking in thousands of Ukrainian women and children,” explained Ms Vaikla, emphasizing that all refugee women and children, whatever their origin, should have access to a safe reception.
To ensure the long-term protection of women and child refugees and asylum seekers, the Congress encourages local and regional authorities to co-operate with the other levels of governance and civil society organisations and to develop gender-sensitive and child-friendly reception policies. “We noted that close co-operation among local governments themselves, with civil society and also between the various tiers of government really makes a difference,” said Mr Vöhringer.
The Congress urges national authorities to set up clear and transparent funding mechanisms so that local and regional authorities can provide high-quality reception facilities for women and child refugees and also to facilitate the collection and sharing of relevant data regarding arriving refugees.
See also:
Congress of Local and Regional Authorities
Institutional Communication Unit
The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities is an institution of the Council of Europe, responsible for strengthening local and regional democracy in its 46 member states. Composed of two chambers – the Chamber of Local Authorities and the Chamber of Regions – and three committees, it brings together 612 elected officials representing more than 130 000 local and regional authorities.
President of the Congress: Leendert Verbeek (Netherlands, SOC/G/PD), President of the Chamber of Local Authorities: Bernd Vöhringer (Germany, EPP/CCE), President of the Chamber of Regions: Harald Sonderegger (Austria, EPP/CCE).
Political groups: Group of Socialists, Greens and Progressive Democrats (SOC/G/PD), Group of the European Peoples Party (EPP/CCE), Independent Liberal and Democratic Group (ILDG), European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
Council of Europe/Conseil de l’Europe, Avenue de l’Europe, Strasbourg, . 67000 France