Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjord Gylfadóttir, Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, addressed today the meeting of the Parliamentary Network on the situation of the children of Ukraine entitled "Restoring Childhood: physical and psychological rehabilitation of war-affected Ukrainian children" in Tallinn.
"It is our duty to make sure that our children have an opportunity to rebuild, be safe, trust again and have a bright future," the Special Envoy stated.
Among key themes of the meeting are access to medical treatment, trauma recovery, and reintegration into family and community life. The Special Envoy stressed that the impact of the 3.5 years of war on children of Ukraine, wherever they are, is debilitating, and "the most acute need is rehabilitation through trauma-informed care".
Ensuring access to healthcare, also for healing psychological scars, is essential, Ms Gylfadóttir said, noting that the Register of Damage for Ukraine, in addition to the recently opened claims category on unlawful transfer and deportation of children, plans to open a category for the lack of access to healthcare and education.
Many frontline professionals who work with war-affected children of Ukraine, within the country and outside, lack training in trauma-informed care and children's rights, the Special Envoy noted. While the Council of Europe continues to develop manuals and training courses of these professionals, "given the extent of the trauma, coupled with the cost of implementing such training effectively on a large scale, financial support is needed", the Special Envoy stated.
The meeting in Tallinn is hosted by the Riigikogu (the Parliament of Estonia) and brings together members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Estonian and Ukrainian officials, experts, and representatives of leading NGOs. It aims to strengthen cooperation between national parliaments and international partners, share best practices, and mobilise political will to ensure that every Ukrainian child affected by the war receives the support they need to heal and thrive.
The work of the Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Children of Ukraine is part of the broad-based efforts of the Council of Europe to support Ukraine and to ensure accountability for Russia's war of aggression. Other components include the Register of Damage and the future International Claims Commission; the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine; as well as the work of the European Court of Human Rights and activities under the Council of Europe's Action Plan for Ukraine.
Speech by Special Envoy of the Secretary General for Children of Ukraine in full
Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Council of Europe's efforts on Russia's war against Ukraine
