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response to Putin’s war in 2022 “Aishumane not only to help his victims but also to
their plight was historic: with the activation of the EU Temporary Protection Directive all those fleeing from Ukraine have the right to reside, work and receive support anywhere in the EU. There is no need for smugglers, no dangerous irregular crossings, no long wait for slow asylum procedures. The reception of (so far mainly) women and children from Ukraine creates an opportunity to show how a humane European asylum policy might work even with unusually large numbers.
documentation
make a powerful statement about the value of human dignity in the face of a historic tragedy.” Gerald Knaus
MEPs call for better protection of children fleeing war in Ukraine (ed/nc, Paris) On 7th April, the European Parliament adopted, with a large majority, a resolution recalling various measures necessary to protect children and young people fleeing war in Ukraine from the risk of trafficking, illegal adoption or other types of abuse.
Provide better information to refugees
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, more than 5.5 mil-
However, such a system requires more than empathy. It requires organisation. Throughout Europe, from Norway to Moldova, many have shown a willingness to welcome Ukrainians. Everywhere there are cities and citizens willing to help. This makes it possible to mount an unprecedented effort to relocate Ukrainian refugees. An EU-wide special fund that can unbureaucratically and directly compensate local authorities for each registered Ukrainian, The Facility for Ukrainian Refugees in Europe has been established. There is a similar programme in the UK. But refugees are not parcels to be distributed against their will. Support must be offered to those who arrive in Poland and Slovakia, including information about how to get to, and conditions in, Finland or Ireland, France or Portugal. Without information few refugees will cross the continent and will remain in (some) border states, where cities are at risk of being overwhelmed. More Ukrainians have applied for temporary protection in the Czech Republic than in France, Spain and Italy put together. Warsaw hosts ten times more refugees than the UK has admitted.
lion people (see https://bit.ly/3ODDBG9) have left their homes and seek refuge, mostly in EU neighbouring countries. According to UNICEF, almost half of those fleeing are minors running the risk of falling victim to trafficking and exploitation. “Every child has the right to be protected from violence, exploitation and abuse”, MEPs state in their resolution, recalling that the EU and all Member States have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and are therefore obliged to respect, protect and fulfil the rights laid down in the Convention. The Parliament recommends that child protection officers and other critical services should be present at the borders to be able to swiftly identify vulnerable children and record their identity and nationality. They should be referred to the adequate services within the national child protection systems, including psychosocial support, maternal health support, protection against gender-based violence, family tracing and support for family reunification. MEPs call on the Commission “to help neighbouring countries to set up adequate and safe childfriendly spaces with child
Send a powerful message
protection officers immediately after the border, such as
If Europeans welcome millions of Ukrainian refugees, while restoring respect for the Refugee Convention at their external borders, they send a powerful message: democracies can respond in a humanitarian way to autocratic pressure, as the allies did during the Berlin airlift of 1948, faced with Stalin’s blockade and blackmail. A humane response to Putin’s war in 2022 is not only to help his victims but also to make a powerful statement about the value of human dignity in the face of a historic tragedy.
the Blue Dot hubs being set up by UNICEF and the UNHCR.” The Parliament also insists that host countries should “ensure the same access to education and health services as other children in the host countries”. Web Adopted resolution: https://bit.ly/38ogY8i
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