Children Fleeing Ukraine

Since February 2022, the Russian war on Ukraine has triggered Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II, with millions of persons fleeing Ukraine to seek international protection in other countries. An acutely vulnerable part of this displaced population are refugee children without parental care.

 In response, UNICEF launched a series of research initiatives to promote understanding of the legal context, challenges, and gaps; identify the primary applicable legal frameworks and considerations; foster dialogue and cooperation between authorities transnationally and at regional level, and outline recommendations in the best interests of children.

This regional report [RO2] , Fulfilling the rights of children without parental care displaced from Ukraine, and the accompanying Legal Compendium[RO3] , authored by Child Circle for UNICEF’s research initiative, aims to support policy makers and practitioners in ensuring that refugee children without parental care, displaced from Ukraine, can access their rights. It focuses on their right to support and assistance (including from guardians), access to appropriate international protection procedures and, in the longer term, access to comprehensive, secure and sustainable solutions. It also examines obligations to ensure that such children are protected from violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation while in responding countries, in particular, through the application of national child protection laws. The purpose of the legal report is to analyse the different legal challenges which may arise when applying international or European laws in EU and Council of Europe Member States. The report provides recommendations for reducing and meeting these legal challenges.