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https://www.coe.int/documents/16695/994584/COE-Logo-Quadri.png/ee7b1fc6-055b-490b-a59b-a65969e440a2?t=1371222819000

Strasbourg, 9 February 2022

CDENF(2022)AR01

This plenary meeting chronologically follows the fourth plenary meeting in October 2021 and has not been included in the regular numbering of plenary meetings, as it has been added to the meeting calendar of the CDENF in view of the specific circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regular numbering of plenary sessions will be resumed with the 5th CDENF plenary meeting to take place in May 2022.

Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF)

Abridged report of the second plenary session dedicated to the rights of children in migration
(Strasbourg, 1-3 February 2022)

Opening of the meeting and adoption of the agenda

The Steering Committee for the Rights of the Child (CDENF) held its second plenary session dedicated to the protection of the rights of children in migration in Strasbourg in an online format on 1 – 3 February 2022 with Ms Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou (Greece) in the Chair. This plenary session was introduced into the CDENF calendar in addition to the regular plenary meetings in order to finalise the work on the draft documents on the rights of children in migration, which could not be completed during the first session dedicated to this subject matter (16-17 September 2021).

The agenda of the meeting is contained in the Appendix. The full meeting report including the list of participants will be made available on the CDENF’s webpage once adopted by the Committee.[1]

At its plenary session the CDENF took the following decisions and action:

CDENF’s tasks and activities: review of progress, evaluation of completed activities and next steps

The CDENF:

-       took note of its Terms of Reference (2022-2025), as adopted by the Committee of Ministers;

-       took note of the information provided by the Secretariat about the 2022 meeting calendar for the CDENF and its subordinate bodies as reviewed by the Bureau at its meeting on 19 January 2022, and of the fact that the schedule would be further completed by an outline of priorities and timeframes for the delivery of activities by the next plenary meeting on 18-20 May 2022;

-       took note of the update provided by the Italian Delegation on the organisation of the High-level Launching Conference on the new Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022 to 2027) to take place in Rome, Italy, on 7-8 April 2022 under the Italian Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers, and appreciated the progress achieved;

-       adopted the Report of its fourth plenary meeting (13-15 October 2021);

-       agreed to approve in written procedure the final implementation report on the third Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2016-2021), to be finalised by the Secretariat on the basis of last elements received, by submitting it first to the Bureau for approval before seeking approval from the full CDENF in March 2022.

CDENF specific task: The Rights of Children in migration

The CDENF:

-    heard an address and held an exchange of view with Ms Leyla Kayacik, Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) on Migration and Refugees, who expressed her strong support to all the migration-related activities carried out by the CDENF, and informed about an event on the promotion of a multidisciplinary approach to age assessment of unaccompanied migrant children, which would take place as part of the calendar of activities of the Italian Presidency of the Committee of Ministers in Rome, in a hybrid format, on 30 March 2022;

-    appreciated the valuable support by the SRSG and her Office in the relevant standard setting activities.

Age assessment for children in migration

With regard to the draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on Human Rights Principles and Implementing Guidelines on age assessment for children in migration,

the CDENF:

-       pursued the examination of the draft Recommendation, addressing remaining issues on the basis of the comments and proposals submitted by Delegations and observers in advance of and during the meeting;

-       included a number of editorial and substantial changes to the text;

-       approved the final draft of the Recommendation, as circulated among Delegations before the vote, with a view to its submission to the Committee of Ministers for adoption, once the Explanatory Memorandum has been finalized and adopted by the CDENF;

-       instructed the Secretariat to revise the draft Explanatory Memorandum of the Recommendation, thereby aligning it to the modifications carried out on the Draft Recommendation itself, and in the light of the comments made before and during the meeting, to be circulated among national Delegations shortly;

-       agreed to the adoption of the finalised version of the draft Explanatory Memorandum to be carried out in written proceedings.

Upon the request by three Delegations, their respective drafting proposals, which did not find the support of the CDENF, will be reflected in the full meeting report, and the written dissenting opinion submitted by one delegation during the meeting will be attached in Appendix to that same document.


Guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in migration

With regard to the draft Explanatory Memorandum of Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on Effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration,

the CDENF:

-       pursued the examination of the draft Explanatory Memorandum, addressing remaining issues on the basis of the comments and proposals submitted by Delegations and observers in advance of and during the meeting;

-          included a number of editorial and substantial changes to the text;

-          adopted the draft Explanatory Memorandum with a view to its submission to the Committee of Ministers for information.

Upon the request by two Delegations, their respective drafting proposals, which did not find the support of the Committee, will be reflected in the full meeting report.

CDENF opinions

The CDENFrevised and adopted its draft opinion on PACE Recommendation 2216(2021) on “Best Interests of the child and policies to ensure work-life balance”, as prepared by its Bureau, to be submitted to the Committee of Ministers.

Upon the request by two Delegations, their respective drafting proposals, which did not find the support of the CDENF, will be reflected in the full meeting report.

Date and place of next meetings

The CDENF

took note of the slightly modified dates of its upcoming plenary meetings:

-    5th Plenary meeting: 18-20 May 2022 (online);

-    6th Plenary meeting:14-16 November 2022 (Strasbourg, face to face or hybrid).

Approval of the abridged meeting report

This abridged report was sent to all national delegations after the meeting, for approval via written procedure.


Appendix

Draft Agenda

1.

Opening of the meeting

2.

Adoption of the agenda and order of business

3.

Statement by the Chair and the Secretariat

4.

CDENF opinion(s) for the Committee of Ministers

5.

Age assessment for children in migration (for examination and approval) (Specific task v)

-       Draft Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers on Human Rights Principles and Implementing Guidelines on age assessment for children in migration

-       Draft Explanatory Memorandum of the Recommendation

6.

Guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in migration (for examination and approval) (Specific task v)

-       Draft Explanatory Memorandum of Recommendation CM/Rec(2019)11 on Effective guardianship for unaccompanied and separated children in the context of migration

7.

Any other business

8.

Upcoming events

9.

Date and place of next meeting

10.

Approval of the abridged report of the session