2022 03 18

Child10 part of delegation visiting the Ukraine border

Child10 is part of a delegation sent out to evaluate the situation for refugee children at the Ukrainian border. The delegation is organized by the European Parliament’s Intergroup on Child Rights and consists of Members of the European Parliament and representatives from the CSO sector including Child10. During the field trip, the representatives will visit reception facilities at the borders and meet with local authorities, UN representatives and non-profit organizations.

– We have learnt from previous crises and wars that the risks of children disappearing are highest when crossing borders, at first reception centers and between insufficient child protection efforts. Therefore, this delegation has a very important mission as it will visit central border crossings to see how they are working to protect refugee children from human trafficking and exploitation, says Jacob Flärdh, Secretary General Child10. 

Jacob Flärdh will represent Child10 in the delegation that consists of MEPs from Sweden, The Netherlands and Italy as well as other stakeholders such as the president of ECPAT International and the Secretary General of Missing Children Europe. During four days the delegation is set to visit Poland and Romania, two of the countries that are receiving the most refugees from Ukraine resulting in the armed attack by Russia. The purpose of the field trip is to create an understanding of the needs of the refugee children and to evaluate how the EU can support Poland and Romania in their work. 

– These children, and especially unaccompanied children, are in a very vunerable situation where they, besides the trauma of fleeing a war also are at risk of being exposed to human trafficking and exploitation. In this critical phase it is of paramount importance that the countries receiving children register them and continuously follow up by ensuring that the children are in a safe and secure place, says Jacob Flärdh. 

In Romania, the delegation will visit one of the six migration centers set up to receive refugees as well as a number of key cities along the border, including Siret on the official border crossing between Ukraine and Romania. Visits are also planned to be made at Save the Children and UNICEF’s reception center. In Poland, the delegation will meet with local authorities and participate in round table discussions with government officials and other stakeholders.