MEPs Call For Measures To Protect Ukrainian Children Fleeing Violence
The European Parliament voted in favour of a resolution calling for measures to protect children and young people fleeing violence in Ukraine.
On Thursday, MEPs voted in favour of a resolution calling for various measures to protect young people and children fleeing violence in Ukraine and facilitate their integration into their host country communities.
The resolution went through with an overwhelming majority of 509 votes to 3 and 47 abstentions.
“Every child has the right to be protected from violence, exploitation and abuse,” said the MEPs, calling on EU Member States to protect children from the risk of trafficking, illegal adoption and other types of abuse.
One of the recommendations in the resolution is that child protection officers present at the borders be able to swiftly and accurately identify vulnerable children, and record their identity and nationality, as well as their specific needs.
MEPs also recommend that psychosocial support, maternal health support, protection against gender-based violence, family tracing and support for family reunification should be offered within the national child protection systems along with full access to all basic services and appropriate care.
They insisted that host countries should also ensure that children have the same access to health and education services as other children in the host countries.
Relocation mechanisms that prioritise family reunification and the relocation of vulnerable children, such as the solidarity mechanism for medical transfers within the EU of children and young people in need of immediate and essential treatment, are also a priority that the Parliament is pushing for.
Member States must also make the best use of available EU funds to support the socio-economic integration of refugees and protect them from discrimination and social exclusion.
According to the UNHCR, more than 4 million people have left the country since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24th February, most of them heading to neighbouring countries, and more than 6.5 million people have been internally displaced.
If you wish to help Ukraine from Malta, but don’t know how, check out these Maltese organisations that are collecting funds and supplies to send to Ukraine. Alternatively, you can donate directly to some of these foreign organisations, as well as find a list of different things you could do on this webpage.
This article is part of a content series called Ewropej. This is a multi-newsroom initiative part-funded by the European Parliament to bring the work of the EP closer to the citizens of Malta and keep them informed about matters that affect their daily lives. This article reflects only the author’s view. The European Parliament is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
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