Call for strengthened protection and care systems to support children and young people
Eurochild stands alongside 14 other NGOs to call on the international community to protect all children, from Ukraine and beyond
A year has passed since the escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, which has affected and displaced millions of children. Despite the international community’s repeated calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the plight of children and young people caught in this atrocious war remain, with little end in sight.
Children are among the most vulnerable in times of war, with their fundamental rights consistently violated: they face unimaginable fear, risk their lives, or being physically and psychologically harmed, as well as being separated from their families and facing the horrors of war, alone. Those children who must endure war without the protection of a family face even more risks of going missing, being exploited, abused or trafficked. Their well-being, and access to protection and care must be a priority for European and national authorities.
Above all else, we call on the international community, to urgently work towards cessation of hostilities, intensifying diplomatic efforts in this regard, so all children can live in peace, again.
The co-signatories call on, international, European Union and national authorities, to prevent and respond to child protection risks that threaten the well-being of children within and those fleeing Ukraine outlined:
- A Child-Centred Humanitarian Response: A Key Building Block for Recovery
- Uphold International Humanitarian Law and Advance Accountability
- Registration and Monitoring of Children Internationally Displaced from Ukraine
- Equal Access to Child Protection Services for Internationally Displaced Children in EU Member States
- Beyond the war: Reforming the Ukrainian Child Protection System
