Council of Europe: handbook on family reunification for refugee children. “Ensuring respect for children’s rights and interests”

“In the absence of sustainable relocation agreements, family reunification remains a feasible legal pathway to decongest facilities in frontline countries and to promote effective asylum procedures throughout the continent. It is a vital tool to ensure respect for children’s rights and their best interests”. This is according to the Special Representative of the Secretary General on Migration and Refugees of the Council of Europe, Ambassador Drahoslav Štefánek, who has today launched the handbook “Family reunification for refugee and migrant children - standards and promising practices”. The handbook focuses on the reunification of families with children, with a “particular focus on unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children”. The purpose is to encourage debate in member states on potential or already existing solutions to overcome obstacles and challenges in restoring family links. The handbook can be downloaded at: https://rm.coe.int/family-reunification-for-refugee-and-migrant-children-standards-and-pr/16809e8320
Valentina Bombelli