These are the closing remarks of Ilze Brands Kehris, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, at a side event in the context of the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women. 

These opening remarks were delivered by Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, at 49th session of the Human Rights Council 9 March 2022. The focus of her remarks was on the alarming numbers of children who are torn apart from their families due to a number of reasons.

This is the concept note for the 49th session of the Human Rights Council which is an annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child. The focus of this year's meeting was to  identify the implications of a child rights approach to family reunification, paying particular attention to preventing the separation of children from their families, and to children affected in cross-border situations. 

The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 45/30, in which the Council requested the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on the rights of the child and family reunification. All children have the right to family life, yet millions worldwide are suffering preventable separation from their families and associated violations of their rights. In the present report, the High Commissioner recommends that States move to develop global, child rights-based guiding principles and a global strategy for family reunification.

This policy brief draws attention to Article 8 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which notes that a child has a right to identity including a name, a nationality and family relations. Whenever a child is deprived of one of these elements, States have an obligation to restore the child’s identity speedily. At the heart of any intercountry adoption (ICA) is the modification of a child’s identity given at birth. The brief also includes recommendations for policymakers.

This policy brief aims to foster an understanding that the provision of quality alternative care, requires that the child’s right to identity is safeguarded. 

The Russian Federation launched a military offensive against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In three weeks, more than 3.2 million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine, while an additional 6.5 million people have been displaced internally within the country.

The Russian Federation launched a military offensive against Ukraine on 24 February 2022. In three weeks, more than 3.2 million refugees have been forced to flee Ukraine, while an additional 6.5 million people have been displaced internally within the country. Over 12 million people have been affected in the areas hardest hit by the war within Ukraine. In these weekly updates, the UNHCR continues to call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, respect for international humanitarian law, and appealed to neighbouring countries to continue keeping their borders open to those fleeing.

Протягом 24 лютого – 16 березня 2022 року через гарячу лінію було надано 12 083 консультацій у відповідь на 2 473 отриманих дзвінка.
Національна безкоштовна гаряча лінія з консультування мігрантів та протидії торгівлі людьми функціонує на базі неурядової організації “Відродження нації”. Гаряча лінія працює в межах Програми захисту і допомоги вразливим мігрантам Міжнародної організації з міграції (МОМ) в Україні за щедрої підтримки американського народу через проєкт Агентства США з міжнародного розвитку (USAID).

During 24 February–16 March 2022, there were 12,083 consultations in response to 2,473 calls were provided through the hotline. The National Toll-Free Counter-Trafficking and Migrant Advice Hotline is run by the NGO ”Revival of the Nation”. It operates within the framework of the Migrant Protection and Assistance Programme of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Mission in Ukraine.