Doc. 9123

14 June 2001

Action plan for the children of Kosovo

Recommendation 1459 (2000)

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 754^th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (6, 7 & 8 June 2001)

The Committee of Ministers has examined Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1459 (2000) on an Action plan for the children of Kosovo. It wishes to assure the Assembly that throughout its action, it has always followed the twin principles of child-protection and non-discrimination.

In accordance with the Assembly's request, the Committee of Ministers has forwarded Recommendation 1459 to Unicef, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), for information. It has also brought the Recommendation to the attention of the member states governments.

An emergency programme for the children of Kosovo and the region was launched in July 1999, in co-operation with Unicef. This initiative formed part of the Programme for Children, adopted by the Committee of Ministers in 1998. The initiative has been pursued and will end in the course of the year 2001. It caters for the needs of children traumatised by war by providing training for the professionals coming into direct contact with them. The programme has also supported existing local institutions, in conjunction with UNMIK and local operatives, by providing them with advice and expertise for framing social policies, particularly at local level.

Despite the persistent difficulties in the region, the programme has successfully maintained a multi-ethnic approach. Special attention has been paid to ethnic reconciliation and to the marginalised categories of the population, particularly the Roma community.