Annual Report The Separated Children in Europe Programme

Transcription

1 Annual Report 2010 The Separated Children in Europe Programme The Separated Children in Europe Programme (SCEP) was established in A commitment to the full implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is fundamental to the work of SCEP. SCEP seeks to realise the rights of all separated children entering or travelling across Europe: that they will be protected; that their well-being and development will be promoted; that they will have opportunities to develop their full potential and that they will participate in a meaningful way in the development of policies and practices that impact upon their lives. Separated children Separated children are under 18 years of age who are outside their country of origin and separated from both parents, or their previous legal, or customary primary caregiver. Some children are all alone while others, who are also the concern of the SCEP, may be living with extended family members. All such children are considered separated children and entitled to international protection under a broad range of international and regional instruments. According to SCEP newsletter no. 34 an estimated 7,232 separated children claimed asylum in 23 European countries until October Staff Lise Bruun is the Programme Coordinator assisted by Student Anne Sofie Swane Lund. Terry Smith is the Programme Adviser. Steering Committee The SCEP is led by a Steering Committee and was in 2010 formed by: Chair: Thale Skybak, Save the Children Norway, replaced in September by Marianne Hagen, Save the Children Norway Vibeke Lubanski, Save the Children Denmark Magda Faltova, Association for Integration and Migration, Czech Republic Christoph Braunschweig, Fondation Suisse du Service Social, Switzerland Taina Martiskainen, Central Union for Child Welfare, Finland (substitute) The Steering Committee held 2 meetings and communicated additionally by phone and e- mail. SCEP NGO network The SCEP programme aims to realise the rights and best interests of separated children by establishing a shared policy and commitment to best practice at national and European levels. The programme has set up a network of NGOs across Europe working for and with separated children in the form of service delivery, counselling, monitoring and/or advocacy activities. The NGOs are democratic, stabile and not-for-profit organisations. The NGOs have committed to the SCEP programme with two levels of memberships known as member or associate member. In 2010 the network consisted of: SCEP NGO network Albania: Save the Children Albania Austria: Asylkoordination Österreich Belgium: Plate-forme Mineurs en exil/ Service droit des Jeunes, DCI Belgium Czech Republic: Association for Integration and Migration Cyprus: HFC Hope for Children - UNCRC Policy Center Denmark: Save the Children Denmark Estonia: Estonian Union of Child Welfare Finland: Central Union for Child Welfare Germany: Bundesfachverband UMF Germany: Terre des Hommes Hungary: Menedék Hungarian Association for Migrants Ireland: Irish Refugee Council Italy: Save the Children Italy Latvia: Association "Shelter "Safe House"" Lithuania: Lithuanian Red Cross Malta: Organisation for the Integration and welfare of Asylum Seekers, AWAS Netherlands: Defence for Children International, Netherlands Norway: Save the Children Norway Poland: Nobody's Children Foundation Portugal: Portuguese Refugee Council

2 Romania: Save the Children Romania Slovakia: Slovak Humanitarian Council Slovenia: Slovene Philanthropy Spain: Save the Children Spain Sweden: Save the Children Sweden Switzerland: Fondation Suisse du Service Social, ISS Switzerland United Kingdom: British Refugee Council The SCEP NGO Network meeting in Bucharest, May 2010 SCEP Youth Network The SCEP Youth Network consists of young people who arrived as former separated children in European countries. With the Youth Network SCEP aims to give separated children and youth a voice in matters that affect them. SCEP also aims to raise awareness about the importance and value of youth participation through which the SCEP NGO network, the general public, policymakers and decision makers are better informed and aware of children and young people s perspectives. The SCEP youth network was consulted on the drafting of the guidelines for Dissemination and use of Good Practice for Separated Children a leaflet for young people and have been engaged in its dissemination at national levels. Three youth representatives participated in the November SCEP NGO Network meeting where they gave presentations about their national activities. Three youngsters from the SCEP Youth Network participated as co-facilitators for a Eurochild led youth workshop to feed into the FRA conference 8-10 December. SCEP youth representatives gave a presentation at the opening of the FRA conference, December 2010 Statement of Good Practice The Statement of Good Practice (SGP) sets out the policy and practices that SCEP believes should be applied to all separated children in Europe. It provides a comprehensive set of principles giving a common standard for work across all countries, on the basis of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. SCEP SGP is both a tool for practitioners in the field as well as a standard bearer from which SCEP will advocate for change at a European and national level. To ensure that the Statement of Good Practice continues to be updated, a revision was finalized in 2009 providing the 4th revised edition, endorsed by UNHCR and UNICEF. The SGP was widely disseminated throughout In a number of countries, initiatives have been taken by NGOs, UNHCR and UNICEF, jointly or individually, to undertake translations and printing of the new revised SGP. The Statement of Good Practice is available at the SCEP website and available translations can be found here as well. Good Practice for Separated Children SCEP has elaborated a leaflet version of the Statement of Good Practice targeted at separated children and youth themselves. The leaflet informs separated children on their rights and tells what SCEP believes is the best care and treatment for separated children. In 2010 a set of guidelines has been elaborated on the use and dissemination of the leaflet Good Practice for Separated Children and has been disseminated throughout 2010 together with the leaflet The leaflet is available in 22 languages at the SCEP website. SCEP programme activities in 2010 NGO Network meetings SCEP aims to have biannual NGO network meetings. The first NGO Network meeting was held in May in Bucharest. The meeting had the form of a capacity building workshop on Logical Framework Approach, LFA to support the development of the thematic group s work plan. The second NGO Network meeting was held in November in Barcelona, addressing thematic issues, EU political and legislative developments and Network business issues.

3 In 2010, the SC EU Office in consultation with SCEP submitted Implementation of Article 10 (2): Points for Reflection to the EU Returns Directive Contact Committee and submitted together with SCEP and Human Rights Watch Joint Recommendations on EU Action Plan to the European Commission as well as Statement to EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers ahead of the JHA Council, June Cooperation with UNHCR Thematic group developing work plans at NGO Network meeting in Bucharest, May 2010 Thematic Groups 4 thematic groups were established in 2009, on age assessment, guardianship, return & reintegration and trafficking. The group on return & reintegration is focusing on the implementation of the return directive and how the best interests of the child is taken into consideration. The group on guardianship are linking their work to the DCI-NL lead guardianship project Closing the protection gap, especially addressing the issue of the best interests of the child and the development of standards for guardianship. In 2010 the group on age assessment undertook a survey on practices across Europe and started drafting a report to be finalised in The group on trafficking decided to function as a reference group and to take the lead on mainstreaming of the issue into SCEP s work. SCEP has a regular communication, cooperation and exchange with UNHCR. UNHCR Focal Points are represented in 21 countries and contributed to the Newsletter no. 33 and no. 34. For the 6-8 December 2010 FRA conference Ensuring Justice and Protection for all Children SCEP, Save the Children, UNHCR, UNICEF and Human Rights Watch together prepared and had a joint stand on separated children. Joint stand by SCEP, Save the Children, UNHCR, UNICEF and Human Rights Watch at FRA conference, December 2010 SCEP participation in seminars and conferences Thematic group presentation at NGO Network meeting in Barcelona, 2010 Cooperation with Save the Children EU Office SCEP cooperates on a continuing basis with the SCEU Policy and Advocacy Officer on asylum, migration and trafficking. The officer informs the SCEP NGO network about EU policy and legislative developments and is provided with national input and cases by the SCEP NGO Network. The coordinator attended a Council of Europe consultation on young refugees and asylum seekers, Strasbourg 1-4 March The coordinator presented the SGP 4th revised edition at the UNHCR Nordic & Baltic consultation on UAM, Copenhagen 9 March The coordinator gave a presentation at a seminar on Child trafficking: children in migration children in the asylum system Information and intelligence management, organised by Council of Baltic Sea States in cooperation with SCD and others, Copenhagen 15 June The coordinator participated in the seminar Participation: a means of empowerment or a tool to produce compliance?, Copenhagen, 24 August The coordinator participated in the global conference Children on the Move Barcelona, 5-7 October

4 The coordinator gave a speech at the opening of a photo exhibition made by separated children in Denmark as part of the project Routeless, Copenhagen, 2 December The coordinator participated in the conference Ensuring Justice and Protection for all Children, Brussels, 6-8 December The coordinator participated in the expert meeting Unaccompanied Minors: children crossing the external borders of the EU in search of protection, organized by EU Belgium Presidency in Brussels, 9-10 December Publications SCEP Annual Report 2009 Guidelines for the use of the leaflet Good Practise for Separated Children EU Returns Directive Contact Committee February , Implementation of Article 10 (2): Points for Reflection Joint Recommendations on EU Action Plan, Save the Children, Human Rights Watch and Separated Children in Europe Programme, March 2010 Statement to EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers ahead of the JHA Council, Save the Children, Human Rights Watch and Separated Children in Europe Programme, June 2010 SCEP Newsletter The SCEP Newsletter is published biannually (spring and autumn). It and contains information about the SCEP programme activities, UNHCR, EU policy and legislative developments as well as reporting on developments and changes in the situation of separated children in the European countries covered by SCEP. The information is primarily provided by the NGO partners and the UNHCR SCEP Focal Points. The newsletter also provides statistical data on arrivals of separated children across Europe, and it brings information on events and new publications. The newsletter is available on the website. SCEP Website The SCEP website, is available in four languages. The site provides information on the programme, contact information, the Statement of Good Practice, the Newsletter, and other resources. The SCEP website has also a restricted forum for the SCEP network for thematic discussions and information exchange. In 2010 the use of the website was: Language Visits Hits English 22,052 68,006 German 886 2,095 French 1,589 3,693 Spanish 898 2,459 Contact Separated Children in Europe Programme Save the Children Denmark Rosenørns Allé 12 DK-1634, Copenhagen V. Direct phone Co-ordinator: LBR@redbarnet.dk This SCEP Annual Report 2010 has been edited by Anne Sofie Swane Lund and Lise Bruun Publication of this SCEP Annual Report 2010 has been made possible due to financial support from the EC Daphne III Programme

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