On 17-18 April, over 40 experts and practitioners from 15 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans and South Caucasus gathered in Bucharest to participate in this conference to discuss the issue regarding many children left behind due to the migration of parents for labour reasons.
In its wider efforts in fostering regional cooperation, and remove existing barriers in Europe through its bridging function, the CEI financed the event, through its Cooperation Fund. The gathering was organised by ChildPact, a regional coalition of child protection NGOs from the Wider Black Sea Area.
The three-day workshop aimed at: providing the opportunity for participants to meet and exchange information and best practices, facilitating better understanding of the size, dynamics and effects of the labour migration of parents in the region; identifying existing good practices in protecting the rights of and providing adequate support to the children left behind by parents migrating for labour reasons.
In the closing session of the event, the joint statement of the conference was discussed and endorsed by the organisations and participants who once again acknowledged the transnational dimension phenomenon and agreed that in this context of transnational welfare networks, all parties involved have a duty to ensure that the vulnerabilities and risks to children are reduced to a minimum.
