Launch of the CoE/UNHCR HELP course on the protection of refugee and migrant children

Launch of the CoE/UNHCR HELP course on the protection of refugee and migrant children. Yerevan, Armenia © UNHCR/Karen Minasyan

The participants of HELP/ UNHCR online course on “Asylum and Human Rights” who successfully completed it, received HELP certificates. The HELP online course aims to enhance the capacity of legal professionals to apply European human rights standards in their daily work, particularly concerning vulnerable groups such as refugee and migrant children. The course is delivered online with a national tutor guiding participants through the material over the following months.

Mr. Artyom Sedrakyan, Senior Project Officer, “Protecting the Rights of Armenian Children in Post-Conflict Context” Council of Europe Yerevan, Ms. Ganna Koptsiukh, Protection Officer, UNHCR Representation in Armenia, Mr. David Best, Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees, Council of Europe, Ms. Ana-Maria Telbis, Head of the Justice and Human Rights Training Division, Council of Europe, Ms. Delphine Leneutre, Legal Associate, UNHCR Representation to the European Institutions in Strasbourg and Ms. Lilit Mirzoyan, Deputy Director, Center for European Studies, Yerevan State University opened the event with welcome address.

Sergey Ghazinyan, HELP course tutor, provided insight into the national implementation of the Asylum and Human Rights HELP/UNHCR course by highlighting the learning outcomes and achievements.

The session also allowed participants to share their expectations and engage in a tour de table. The event was attended by around 50 participants from Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, the Office of the Human Rights Defender (HRDO) of the Republic of Armenia (RA), General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Armenia, Border Guard Troops of the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, Department of Community Service Affairs of Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure of the Republic of Armenia, and other organizations.

Musa Khasanov, Senior lawyer of the Department on Execution of ECHR judgments, Council of Europe presented European Court of Human Rights case laws in cases related to refugee and migrant children.

A presentation by Ganna Koptsiukh, Protection Officer, UNHCR Representation in Armenia and Alina Muradyan, Specialist, Country of Origin Unit, Asylum Department, Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, focused on the situation of refugee and migrant children in Armenia, highlighting the challenges they face and the urgent need for robust legal frameworks to protect their rights.

Sergey Ghazinyan, HELP course tutor, through an interactive session provided an overview of the Refugee and Migrant Children HELP course including planning, evaluation, and practical information about how to follow and successfully complete the HELP course. He shared about the success of this initiative and high demand among professionals towards the HELP courses. Further he noted the diversity in the course members from law enforcement and migration officials, judges, lawyers, government officials, international organisations, and civil society representatives. Sergey Ghazinyan mentioned that it makes the course a unique platform for discussing the issues in the given field.

Participants will go through comprehensive modules covering topics such as child-friendly procedures, family reunification, social rights and integration, guardianship, and age assessment. The course content is designed to address the critical issues faced by refugee and migrant children, emphasizing the application of international and European legal frameworks and relevant case law from the European Court of Human Rights. The course is translated into Armenian language and adapted to the domestic legal framework.

The participants of HELP/ UNHCR online course on “Asylum and Human Rights” who successfully completed it, received HELP certificates.

Launch of the CoE/UNHCR HELP course on the protection of refugee and migrant children. Yerevan, Armenia © UNHCR/Karen Minasyan

Finally, Gwenolenn Le Couster, Senior Emergency Officer/ Officer in Charge, UNHCR Armenia thanked partners Council of Europe and Centre for European Studies of Yerevan State University by appreciating joint efforts on HELP course in Armenia and participants for their dedicated time and interest in the course.

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