InfoPoint conference: Protecting children on the move: what have we learned?

The EU Global Promotion of Best Practices for Children in Migration programme is a 33-month programme (October 2020 – July 2023) funded by the European Union (EU), and co-funded and implemented by a partnership between United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The overall objective of the Action is to contribute to the effective protection of children on the move and the realisation of their rights through child protection systems that provide quality integrated services, alternative care and mental health and psychosocial support. The programme seeks to document and share lessons learned and best practices towards the use of alternative care options to end immigration detention. The Action focuses on two regions and four countries: El Salvador and Mexico in Latin America and the Caribbean Region (LACR); and South Africa and Zambia in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). 

The programme aims to contribute to advancing the protection of children on the move through

• strengthening data and evidence to inform programming and advocacy;
• strengthening capacities of key actors such as child protection, social welfare and migration authorities;
• enhancing partnerships with civil society organizations (CSOs);
• leveraging global and regional fora;
• supporting the policy making processes critical for the protection and service provision for children on the move;
• enhancing the provision of services such as psychosocial support, alternative care and gender-based violence response services.

On the occasion of World Refugee Day (20 June), the conference is an opportunity for EU, UNICEF, UNHCR and partners to communicate programme achievements made to (a) strengthen national systems and the inclusion of children on the move and data systems; and (b) improve access to mental health and psychosocial support, alternatives to detention, and gender-based violence prevention, risk mitigation and response services.

Participants will:

• Learn about the key achievements of the EU-UNICEF-UNHCR joint initiative to protect children on the move and end child immigration detention; 
• Discuss good practices and explore how to scale up alternative care models, including alternatives to detention (ATD), temporary and transitory care options for children on the move;
• Learn about innovative approaches, tools and methodologies that promote access to national child protection systems, mental health and psychosocial support, and gender-based violence (GBV) services; 
• Exchange with child protection experts and partners working to promote the rights of children on the move and to strengthen alternatives to detention. 

Speakers

• Erica Gerretsen, Director, DG International Partnerships
• Verena Knaus, Global Migration and Displacement Hub, UNICEF Headquarters
• Boris Mulengu, Senior Immigration Officer/ National Coordinator - Secretariat and National Committee on Human Trafficking, Zambia
• Rocio Aznar, UNICEF Mexico
• Gloria Raskosky, Country Director, ConTextos, El Salvador
• Belete Birara, Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF

Language of conference: English

Language of Q&A session: English

Registration

Online participation (Webex)

On site (InfoPoint)