Sofia, 23 April 2024
A round table on the protection of unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking and refugee children, organised by UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the Council of Europe’s Special Representative on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), has demonstrated a determination to work hand in hand with national stakeholders to protect the human rights of this extremely vulnerable group.
The discussion highlighted the need for the establishment of a guardianship system capable of addressing the specific needs of unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking children, as well as the further development of fair age-assessment procedures and dignified reception conditions.
Bulgaria is one of the European countries hosting the largest number of unaccompanied and separated asylum-seeking and refugee children (UASC) with nearly 11,000 asylum claims filed since 2021.
The round table, which brought together representatives from key state institutions responsible for child protection, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the State Agency for Refugees and the State Agency for Child Protection, as well as parliamentarians and members of the judiciary, aimed to identify challenges in the legal processing of children and minors.
On behalf of the Council of Europe, the SRSG on Migration and Refugees David Best called for concrete action to ensure the best interests of vulnerable children based on the findings of a fact-finding mission report. „Unaccompanied and separated foreign minors must receive appropriate protection as children, a status they hold until the age of 18 according to the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. This imperative is particularly pressing given the current landscape, where many of these minors are contemplating staying in Bulgaria under international protection,“ stated the SRSG.
“It is our shared responsibility to ensure that the rights of children are upheld, and the needs met, for every refugee child arriving without a parent or caregiver in Bulgaria,” said Seda Kuzucu, UNHCR Representative in Bulgaria. “It is imperative that the children are welcomed into a safe and nurturing environment.”
There is an urgent need for Bulgaria to increase the number of places for unaccompanied children in alternative care arrangements. At present, only a handful of children are accommodated in specialised care facilities, such as in the District of Oborishte in Sofia, where about 10 children are residing, another 16 in a crisis centre in Ruse, six more in a transitional centre in Burgas, and four unaccompanied children in a care facility alongside Bulgarian children in Gorna Banya in Sofia. The scarcity of such arrangements underlines the urgent need for more family-type accommodation centres and the development of foster care services tailored to the needs of unaccompanied children.
The round table resulted in the formation of two working groups to outline future steps towards a more inclusive and robust system, which produced outcome papers summarising key issues and proposing actionable solutions. In conclusion, participants underlined the need for further reform to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach and to safeguard the rights of all children in Bulgaria’s asylum and refugee landscape.
About the SRSG:
The Special Representative of the Council of Europe Secretary General on Migration and Refugees plays a central role in providing a close dialogue and support to the Council of Europe’s member states in responding to migration-related challenges, based on the European Convention on Human Rights and other Council of Europe standards, with a particular focus on the protection of migrants and refugees in vulnerable situations (link to the mandate).
About UNHCR:
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee because of conflict and persecution. They deliver life-saving assistance like shelter, water and other basic necessities; help safeguard fundamental human rights; and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future.
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