Council of Europe Secretary General Jagland sent a letter to Heads of Government of all 47 states of the Council of Europe to urge them to better ensure the safety and proper treatment of asylum-seeking and refugee children entering Europe. He also outlined a list of priority measures.
This action comes after an estimated 300,000 children arrived in Europe last year, many of whom were unaccompanied. It is estimated that one in three of the migrants and asylum seekers crossing between Greece and Turkey is a child. According to Europol, at least 10,000 children have disappeared since the beginning of the crisis. Preventing children from falling victim to violence, abuse, exploitation and trafficking must be an absolute priority, Jagland noted, calling the refugee crisis "a trafficker’s paradise." The letter urges the initiation of rapid procedures for appointing legal guardians for unaccompanied children, including providing suitable and safe accommodation under the supervision of adequately trained staff or foster parents.