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FROM FAITH TO ACTION: INTER-RELIGIOUS ACTION TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN AFFECTED BY MIGRATION WITH A FOCUS ON EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA ii Authors: Susanna Trotta (Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities [JLI]), Christine Fashugba (UNICEF), Johanne Kjaersgaard (UNICEF/Princeton), Mario Mosquera (UNICEF), Olivia Wilkinson (JLI). Reviewers: Kerida McDonald (UNICEF), Anna Knutzen (UNICEF), Seforosa Carroll (WCC), Frederique Seidel (WCC), Jean Duff (JLI). Suggested Citation: Trotta, S., Fashugba, C., Kjaersgaard, J., Mosquera, M., Wilkinson, O., (2021). From Faith to Action: Inter-religious action to protect the rights of children affected by migration with a focus on Europe and Central Asia. UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities: Geneva and Washington DC. Project Leads: Mario Mosquera (UNICEF), Olivia Wilkinson (JLI). Cover photo credit: UNICEF/UN012796/Georgiev Acknowledgements This publication is part of a collaboration between the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the World Council of Churches (WCC), and the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities (JLI). We are grateful for the contribution of the three case study organizations highlighted in this publication, Apostoli, Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization, and Zentralrat der Muslime in Deutschland. iv list of Acronyms CCME Churches Commission for Migration in Europe ECARO Europe and Central Asia Regional Office EHO Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization in Serbia FBO faith-based organization ICMC International Catholic Migration Commission JLI Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities NGO non-governmental organization SAR search and rescue UASC unaccompanied and separated children UNICEF United Nations Childrens Fund WCC World Council of Churches ZMD Zentralrat der Muslime in Deutschland list of boxes Box 1 - The Humanitarian Corridors Initiative, Italy Box 2 - The Vaiz, Turkey Box 3 - Learning to Live Together: Arigatou Foundation, Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children, and Global Network of Religions for Children Box 4 - Refugees Hosting Refugees Box 5 - Ecumenical assistance for asylum seekers: Oekumenischer Seelsorgedienst fr Asylsuchende, Switzerland Box 6 - Search for Common Ground against violent extremism among young returnees, Kyrgyzstan Box 7 - Goda Grannar (Good Neighbours), Sweden Box 8 - Faith Over Fear movement supported by UNICEF and Religions for Peace From Faith to Action v contents Acknowledgements iii List of acronyms iv List of boxes iv Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Situation Analysis Summary 3 Faith Activities to Support Children on the Move 5 Promising Practice Case Study #1: Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization, Serbia 12 Promising Practice Case Study #2: Apostoli, Greece 16 Promising Practice Case Study #3: Central Council of Muslims, Germany 20 Glossary 24 Annex 1 - Legal and Political Framework 25 Annex 2 - Country-specific information 28 Endnotes 33 UNICEF/UNI197534/Gilbertson VII Photo From Faith to Action 1 executive summAry Five main areas in which faith actors have a positive impact on children on the move in Europe and Central Asia1. Providing assistance for children on the move along safe and unsafe migration routes, and when they arrive. For example, faith actors perform or fund search and rescue (SAR) operations, establish safe and legal routes for children to travel (e.g., humanitarian corridors), and provide shelter, food, and legal advice and other essential services for children and their families. 2. Facilitating integration and social inclusion by enhancing access to social services (particularly education) and bringing host communities and newcomers closer together by fostering empathy, cultivating welcoming practices, and identifying shared spaces. 3. Offering spiritual and psychosocial support that can enhance resilience, sustain a sense of belonging, and facilitate the process of migration and integration. 4. Fostering social cohesion, combating xenophobia and discrimination, promoting inter-religious dialogue, speaking out for peaceful coexistence, and addressing the root causes of conflict that have forcibly displaced children and families. 5. Advocacy to influence decision-makers towards more inclusive approaches in response to the displacement of children and families. Strategies include building inter-religious coalitions for advocacy, using their influence to speak to policymakers on migration, and advocating for the rights of children and for governments and communities to welcome refugees and migrants. This publication aims to highlight the actual and potential roles of faith actors in contributing towards an effective and holistic response to child displacement in Europe and Central Asia. These roles range from providing shelter and other material support to fostering psychosocial and spiritual wellbeing, speaking out against xenophobia, promoting peaceful coexistence, and influencing policymakers to protect the rights of children on the move. While it must be recognised that faith actors have also played negative roles, this publication aims primarily to serve as a useful tool to improve cooperation between faith actors and other stakeholders, such as UNICEF and national authorities, in the protection of children and youth on the move. This publication aims to highlight the actual and potential roles of faith actors in contributing towards an effective and holistic response to child displacement in Europe and Central Asia. We developed this publication through an extensive review of academic articles, research reports, conference reports, and other documents focusing on key issues affecting young refugee and migrants and on the roles of faith actors in supporting children on the move. This publication is organized into an introductory section, a central section underlining different areas in which faith actors are engaged with some remarks on challenges and opportunities, and a final section highlighting three case studies with faith-based organizations (FBOs) working with children and youth on the move in Germany, Greece, and Serbia. This publication illustrates a plurality of ways in which faith actors actively support children and youth on the move, namely, by ensuring their protection and social inclusion, providing spiritual and psychosocial support, countering xenophobia and discrimination, and advocating for policy changes. 2 introduction This publication emerges from discussions in Europe and Central Asia about the role of faith actors in protecting children on the move. The content was developed in preparation for the conference From Faith to Action: Inter-religious action to protect the rights of children affected by migration with a focus on Europe and Central Asia held online on 10-11 December 2020. The primary topics include the need to safeguard and protect children, the realities of migration and forced displacement, inter-religious cooperation and the roles of faith actors, and how these threads intersect in the Europe and Central Asia region. The publication starts with some key facts and figures on the current situation of migrants and children on the move in Europe and Central Asia. We have also included information on the impact of COVID-19 in the region. The first section ends with an overview of key issues affecting children on the move and their families. The second section presents an overview of faith-based engagements with children on the move in Europe and Central Asia. It is structured in five subsections: Faith actors support to provide protection for children on the move. Social inclusion and access to social services. Spiritual and psychosocial support for children on the move. Faith actors efforts to combat xenophobia and foster peaceful societies. The role of faith actors in policy and advocacy. These subsections build on previous work, including the Faith Action for Children on the Move forum held in Rome in 20181 and the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities Initiative (FPCC)2, a collaboration between UNICEF, the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith & Local Communities (JLI), and Religions for Peace. The From Faith to Action initiative is built on the principle that a child is a child, and reinforces the principle of the best interest of the child. The next section highlights challenges and opportunities for discussion during the conference, and focuses on the five main thematic areas indicated. The publication also includes a glossary and annexes citing relevant legal and policy documents and country-specific information. The final section includes three case studies. The first one, developed with the Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization, focuses on their work in providing material and psychosocial support to children on the move in Serbia. The second one, developed with Apostoli, illustrates their engagements towards the inclusion of youth on the move in Greece. The last one, developed with the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, describes their activities, including policy and advocacy efforts, to foster social cohesion and mutual support between established communities and newcomers. From Faith to Action 3 situAtion AnAlysis summAry in family incomes. Cuts in remittances may cause children and youth to drop out of school and seek work, migrate, or put them at risk of child marriage or trafficking.7 Social distancing restrictions may further impede the limited education opportunities that may be available to most displaced children.8 The lack of devices or stable internet access can be a barrier to online learning. 9 As governments tighten border controls and impose stricter health requirements on new arrivals, some have been criticized for using COVID-19 as an excuse to toughen immigration policies, suspend asylum procedures, and retreat from international legal obligations to rescue and provide safety as has been the case for many refugee and migrants crossing the Mediterranean.10 Some nationalist and populist voices see refugees as transmission threats and push for hard-line immigration policies, feeding into populist rhetoric in fear of the other.11 At the same time, responses to COVID-19 have also played unifying role. Advocacy and humanitarian organizations continue to push for a narrative that sees the pandemic as an opportunity to expand health care and social protections for refugees and migrants.12 Multilingual information dissemination, including health and public safety instruction, has become common practice in several European countries.13 Key issues faced by children on the move and their familiesExploitation (including online exploitation), smuggling and trafficking Children on the move are exposed to great risks and are vulnerable to trafficking, smuggling and various forms of exploitation.14 Around 75% of 14 to 17-year-old refugees and migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa to Italy experience exploitative practices such as arbitrary detention or forced labour.15 Since digital tools are especially important for children who travel unaccompanied or separated from family, they are at high risk of online exploitation.16 In 2020, an estimated 94,800 refugees and migrants arrived Europe from countries as diverse as Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Morocco, Tunisia, and Syria. Nearly one in every five (18.5%)1, was a child. At the end of 2020, there were some 60,000 refugee and migrant children in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, and Serbia. Among them were 12,000 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) whose lives depended on humanitarian assistance. UNICEF and partners worked tirelessly to reach approximately 51,000 refugee and migrant children with a range of support2 to protect their health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly affected the influx of refugees and migrants into Europe. UNICEF and humanitarian partners had to adapt quickly to the fast-moving situation across the Europe and Central Asia region, and ensure that children were prioritized in procedures related to disembarkation and accommodation. The European Union (EU) registered a 33% overall decrease in the number asylum applications. However, the decrease was not evenly spread across Europe, and many local communities received unexpectedly large surges of new arrivals3. The pandemic raised many additional concerns about the health and safety of children and families. Refugee and migrants living close together have often faced a double lockdown with additional restrictions imposed on their confinement in settlements and camps, that compounded their stress and isolation. As classroom learning adapted to online modalities, a major challenge was connecting refugee and migrant children to education opportunities when access to Internet technology and digital devices was very difficult. The impact of COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional stress on humanitarian supply chains3 and heightened risks faced by displaced populations. Children and families often live in overcrowded settings4 with limited access to clean water, hygiene and other basic services,5 and are often excluded from access to information.6 Displaced children and youth are witnessing a decline 1 UNHCR data for Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain as of 31 December 2020. Operational Portal Refugee Situations: Mediterranean situation, 2 UNICEF Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe Humanitarian Situation Report 2020 No. 38 3 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-europe_en Of the 94,800 refugees and migrants who arrived in Europe in 2020, nearly one in five was a child. 4 Obstacles to family reunificationUnaccompanied and separated children (UASC) form a significant percentage of children on the move.17 Although all children have the right to be with their families or guardians, obstacles to family reunification are common.18 Family reunification processes may impose, for example, increased income requirements, expensive medical tests, restrictions on who can apply, and long waits under the Dublin regulations.19 Detention of refugee and migrant childrenEnding detention of refugee and migrant children is one of the priorities of the international community.20 However, in there was an increase in the number of immigration detentions of children arriving in Europe.21 Urgent measures that are being called for include scaling up of efforts to end new detentions, the release of child detainees into non-custodial and community-based alternatives, and the improvement of conditions in detention centres where alternative measures are not possible.22 Access to healthcare Children need to live in a safe environment and should have continuous access to quality healthcare. In unsafe and overcrowded living conditions, children are often exposed to heightened risks of contracting COVID-19 or the inability to access health services such as vaccination.23 Access to educationA quarter of children who arrived in Europe through the Central or the Eastern Mediterranean routes in 2017 had not completed any formal education, while a further 33% had only attended primary school.24 For children on the move, access to education is crucial to overcome cultural and linguistic barriers. However, most reception centres often do not have learning facilities or teaching personnel. Discrimination and xenophobiaNationalistic, xenophobic, misogynistic, and explicitly anti-human rights agendas of many populist political leaders have required human rights proponents to rethink many longstanding assumptions. Highly politicised narratives that support pushback operations and restrictive policies fuel xenophobic sentiments, putting children at risk of experiencing violence and discrimination.25 Preventing and combating xenophobia and discrimination against young refugees and migrants is crucial in efforts aimed at protecting their rights, fostering their livelihoods, ensuring access to health and education services26 and overcoming language barriers that severely affect their social inclusion.27 UNICEF/UNI309268/Onat From Faith to Action 5 fAith Activities to support children on the move Given this framework of compassion and a history of providing front-line support to vulnerable communities, it is no surprise that many governments, as well as local, national and international organizations have chosen to engage with faith actors as key partners in responding to the refugee and migration crisis in Europe and elsewhere in the world. In this section, we explore some of the ways in which religious leaders, faith communities, and FBOs are providing protection and spiritual support for children on the move, combatting xenophobia, helping to build peaceful societies and advocate for the rights of young refugees and migrants. i. Faith actors support to provide protection for children on the moveFaith actors contribute to enhancing child protection in multiple ways. In this section, they are outlined according to migration stages, i.e., along migration There is a consensus across religious traditions about the dignity of every child.28 The fundamental principle of respect for human life is found in religions that believe all human beings, including children, deserve to be respected and treated with dignity, and forms the basis of faith-based motivations to support children on the move.29 Religious groups, institutions and practitioners have a long and proud history of protecting vulnerable migrants and families, persecuted individuals, and unaccompanied children. Under Canon Law in Medieval times, anyone who feared for their life could find sanctuary in the closest church.30 In Europe, Belgian nuns rescued young Jews from the Nazis in the World War II,31 and Hungarian refugees found shelter and assistance in churches in Austria and elsewhere during and after the 1956-57 crisis.32 UNICEF/UN020042/Gilbertson VII Photo 6 routes and after arrival. Overall, safe and legal routes for displaced people, including children, are narrowing. For a long time, faith actors have been involved in campaigning for, organizing, and implementing sponsorship programmes for refugees. In Canada, FBOs have been a strongly involved in the private sponsorship system,33 and similar initiatives have been established in other countries. In 2016, an ecumenical initiative in Italy (see box 1) worked in collaboration with the government to grant a number of exceptional humanitarian visas to create a humanitarian corridor for refugees stranded in Lebanon and other countries to come to Italy. This initiative expanded to other European countries such as France, Belgium and Andorra.34 Recently, the Community of SantEgidio signed an agreement with the German government to transfer refugee and migrant families from the Greek island of Samos to Germany35 and inaugurated a new corridor from Lesvos to Italyprioritising families and unaccompanied minors.36 Box 1 - The Humanitarian Corridors Initiative, Italy37 Humanitarian Corridors is a small-scale initiative run by the Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy (FCEI), the Tavola Valdese of the Waldensian Church and the Community of SantEgidio in cooperation with the Ministries of the Interior and of Foreign Affairs in Italy. The FBOs and the Government define the programme as establishing a legal and safe alternative to deadly sea routes, smuggling, and trafficking. Over a two-year period, the initiative enabled 1,000 visas to be granted to refugees who qualified as being in particularly vulnerable conditions. Among them were babies as young as five days old.38 Authorities have afforded FBOs with flexibility in the selection of the programmes beneficiaries while meeting government security requirements. Beneficiaries were selected independently from their ethnicity or religion. FBOs provided funding for accommodation and services for the reception of refugees during their initial period of permanent settlement in Italy. Additionally, in instances where the timeframe for the application for international protection was potentially very tight, FBOs negotiated with the state to obtain extensions. Through this initiative FBOs have, arguably, created privileged channels within the asylum application in Italy, that favours asylum seekers who have access to the programme. However, this privileged position also works as an avenue for lobbying towards the improvement of the Italian asylum system in general. Displaced people are often exposed to hardship along migration routes. Faith communities and FBOs are among the first to provide assistance, from the distribution of food to the provision of shelter and legal advice, especially to vulnerable groups like children. All faiths share a tradition of providing sanctuary and assistance to strangers. This tradition lives in multiple forms today,39 and is often characterised by a multi-religious configuration, as in the case of the City of Sanctuary UK movement.40 In Germany, Kirchenasyl, a highly organized network of churches41, is ready to host refugees and migrants who risk of being deported. However, in recent years, this network has been under pressure from the German government with ongoing legal challenges, and shrinking numbers of people who have access to church asylum.42 All faiths share a tradition of providing sanctuary and assistance to strangers. In Hungary, Catholic and Lutheran Bishops mobilised against the anti-refugee narrative by hosting families and individuals on the move, and providing legal advice, translation services, and assistance in finding work.43 However, this help has been curtailed since Hungary passed a law in favour of detaining asylum seekers while their status is being determined.44 ii. Social inclusion and access to social servicesEducation is key to building peaceful societies. Faith actors play a significant role in education globally,45 including providing education to children on the move in formal and informal contexts. Catch-up classes, language classes, and activities supported by volunteers from the faith community are often key to social inclusion and integration.46 Faith actors, at times, associate schooling with peace building and with the prevention of trafficking and exploitation of children.47 Jesuit Relief Services have highlighted the importance of providing education for refugee girls.48 However, there is also evidence that education from religious institutions has sometimes been influenced by politicisation and securitisation, and this highlights the need for teachers to receive training and support on issues such as countering extremism.49 Since the onset of the pandemic, online education and increased dependence on digital technologies by children have heightened the risk of online exploitation. Religions for Peace and ECPAT International have issued guidance for religious leaders on how to protect children from online sexual exploitation.50 From Faith to Action 7 Faith and Positive Change for Children offers guidance documents for religious leaders, faith communities and FBOs to help address challenges in the times of COVID-19 for example, adapting rituals, helping those at risk, and combating misinformation.51 The World Council of Churches has issued guidance52 that gives practical advice encouraging members to trust evidence-based guidance on COVID-19 safety, for example, following physical distancing and using technology to conduct religious services. Box 2 - The Vaiz of Bursa, Turkey53 Turkey hosts 3.6 million refugees the highest number of any country worldwide.54 In Bursa, the government mobilises the Vaiz, a network of state preachers, to support displaced people. The Vaiz provides direct services, delivers welcoming messages to positively influence the local faith community, advocates with the Government to to let Syrians refugees access healthcare, school, and other social services,55 and sponsors refugee children and youth events in the local community.56 More significantly, the state preachers have also used their influence to overcome bureaucratic and legal hurdles to the issuing of birth certificates and wedding registrations for displaced people who do not have the necessary paperwork.57 May countries had to divert and prioritise healthcare staff and resources to treat the sick and fight the spread of COVID-19. As a result, basic health services, including routine childhood immunization, were often temporarily suspended.58 As these services resume, faith actors can play crucial roles in supporting immunization uptake and countering anti-vaccination narratives, including religious objections, as illustrated by numerous studies.59 Religious beliefs and practices can foster wellbeing and support the integration of refugee and migrant children on the move. A recent study found that young Coptic Christians in Italy highly valued their sense of belonging to their faith community, both in terms of the religious freedom in Italy and as cultural and religious identity.60 Similarly, a study conducted in Germany, the Netherlands and the UK explained how religion can be beneficial to the social integration of Muslim migrants with their own faith/ethnic community and does not hamper integration with broader society.61 A survey conducted among churches in 19 European countries in 2014-2015 revealed that one-third had between one in 20 and one in five young members with a migration background.62 Box 3 - Learning to Live Together: Arigatou Foundation, Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children, and Global Network of Religions for Children63 The Global Network of Religions for Children, the Arigatou Foundation and the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children in collaboration with UNICEF, UNESCO, and education professionals and academics, including those from different religious traditions, developed a methodology to foster peaceful coexistence and mutual respect in interfaith and intercultural contexts. The methodology is used in both formal (e.g., schools) and informal (e.g., refugee camps) contexts and includes activities, interfaith prayers for peace, feedback mechanisms and learning modules on different themes. In Greece, a similar programme named Learning to Play Together64 has been developed using physical education and sports to engage young refugees and migrants who come from different geographic, cultural, religious and linguistic contexts. iii. Spiritual and psychosocial support for children on the moveResearch indicates how spirituality can contribute to the resilience of children during and after their displacement.66 Fostering resilience is particularly important for children who experience and are exposed to stress, risks and violence during their migration processit includes developing a sense of belonging, acknowledging the importance of education and schooling, and connecting with the community.67 Faith actors support this resilience through the provision of community, space, and resources for sustained and holistic care. Often, these spaces are designed to aid children in finding their place in society and their identity within the faith communities by offering them psychosocial and spiritual support. Another component in the building of childrens identities is the ongoing incorporation of faith into psychosocial and resilience programs,68 which provide coping strategies for children on the move.69 8 Box 4 - Refugees Hosting Refugees Recent research has focused on hosts, refugees and refugee hosts (i.e., refugees hosting other refugees). Research from University College London65 examines the roles that members of local faith communities, faith leaders and FBOs can play in promoting social justice and social integration for refugees living in Cameroon, Greece, Malaysia, Mexico, and Lebanon. The study found that in Greece, members of refugee communities collect and distribute material support for other refugees, including baskets to break the fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Box 5 - Ecumenical assistance for asylum seekers: Oekumenischer Seelsorgedienst fr Asylsuchende (OeSA), Switzerland70 OeSA is an ecumenical organization reflecting a collaboration between the Methodist Church, the Reformed Church and the Catholic Church in Basel, Switzerland. OeSA offers several services to asylum seekers of any (or no) faith and any country of origin, including psychosocial and spiritual support during Refugee Status Determination (RSD). OeSA is also a place where asylum seekers can meet, take German lessons, attend music workshops, and where their children can attend activities organized twice a week.71 Volunteers working for this initiative are also of different religious and cultural backgrounds [who can] easily share the motivating vision and the working style of the organization.72 The sensitivity of OeSA workers towards faith-related issues has allowed them, for instance, to negotiate extra permits for Muslim asylum seekers who are staying in Registration and Procedure Centres (RPCs)73 to stay in the mosque longer during Ramadan. Working with the childrens faith communities can help achieve integration and long-term wellbeing.74 When building resilience and providing comprehensive psychological support for children on the move, it may be necessary for faith-based organizations and local faith communities to provide support to parents, caregivers and other adults in the childrens lives. This is fundamental when responding to the needs of traumatised children. iv. Faith actors efforts to combat xenophobia and discrimination and to foster peaceful coexistenceThe role of faith actors in the Global Compact for Refugees has been recognized within the plans of several anti-discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance measures and programs. Peer-to-peer workshops that bring together a particular group, for example, young people, new arrivals, or members of a faith community with a similar migration background can be used to strengthen such initiatives. In this way, relationships of trust create a safe environment to address issues such as religious prejudice, discrimination, and extremismfaith actors often become the main points of reference for displaced minors.75 Multi-religious initiatives can play a pivotal role in integration processes in countries of arrivals. The European Council of Religious Leaders and University of Winchester Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace analysed case studies featuring the cooperation of at least two organizations belonging to different religious traditions in Germany, Poland, Sweden (see box 8), and the UK. 83 The study counters the idea that faith actors only support communities of their own religious tradition, and outlines potential benefits of multi-religious cooperation in integration processes by achieving shared objectives through enhanced dialogue, and combating racism and radicalisation.84 UNICEF/UN0354305/Canaj/Magnum Photos From Faith to Action 9 Box 6 - The work of Search for Common Ground against violent extremism among young returnees, Kyrgyzstan76 In Kyrgyzstan, youth radicalisation,77 especially among labour migrants and returnees, is a key issue.78 Search for Common Ground has been engaged in several programmes to prevent and combat violent extremism in the country. In 2016-2017, in partnership with the State Commission on Religious Affairsm (SCRA), the group implemented a project that used social media as a tool for deradicalization targeted and included young people, including returnees from Syria. An evaluation of the project suggested that, as a result, youth participants, as well as grant recipients, expanded their knowledge about radicalisation, extremism, and fanaticism, and gained skills in critical thinking and problem-solving.79 In 2018, the youth-led project called #JashStan80, supported by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund, produced a reality television series turning violent and radical discourse into tolerance and peaceful coexistence. In July 2020, Search for Common Ground announced that the European Union Instrument Contributing to Stability and Peace (EUIcSP) would support a two-year project,81 which will draw on its research on the risks of radicalisation and violent extremism among Central Asian migrant workers in Russia. The project will engage religious and traditional leaders and include psychosocial support.82 Xenophobia and discrimination against refugees based on religion, nationality and ethnicity are on the rise across the region.89 To combat stigma and discrimination, faith actors promote sensitisation and advocate against xenophobic mind-sets, as well as working to protect refugees directly from discriminatory experiences and attacks.90 Public condemnation of xenophobic threats or attacks by religious leaders can have significant effects on faith communities and support efforts to eradicate, or, create further partnerships to counter the violence.91 Faith communities, particularly those that participate in interfaith initiatives can also be instrumental in reconciliation and healing following a conflict.92 Local faith actors and interfaith councils can provide expertise within countries of origin to address root causes of conflict and displacement. They can help remove obstacles to return and address issues of reintegration in the country of originespecially when tensions among religious and ethnic groups are still present.93 Box 7 - Goda Grannar (Good Neighbours), Sweden This multi-religious collaboration between the Stockholm Mosque, the Katarina parish and Islamic Relief started in 2015, as a makeshift shelter for transit migrants. It later became a much more multifaceted initiative, offering asylum seekers a wide range of services, from language cafs to counselling on issues such as employment, education and healthcare.85 In particular, they support newly arrived families with young children to find preschool and activities to help them create a network in their new community. After initial scepticism shown by some members of the local faith communities,86 the collaboration has proved to be successful and has grown in numbers and even expanded to other districts and faith actors, such as the Syrian Orthodox Church and the Negashi Mosque.87 In addition to the more practical work on integration, members of different faith communities have started a dialogue about their religious beliefs, traditions and values through this project, which has led to improved social relationships.88 v. Faith actors and policy/advocacyFaith actors are often part of networked organizations that allow them to have a strong impact within the international arena. For instance, Eurodiaconia is a European network of 52 churches and Christian NGOs94 who are active in many areas, including migration and forced displacement. The network organizes events at the European level, and recently, published the report, Fostering Cooperation Between Local Authorities and Civil Society Actors in the Integration and Social Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees,95 on the European Commissions European Web Site on Integration (EWSI), which consolidates information and good practices. Eurodiaconia recommends strengthening multi-stakeholder platforms and using transparent monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It also suggests promoting mutual knowledge exchange among all stakeholders involved, including migrants. In April 2020, 67 NGOs and FBOs (including the International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), Caritas, and HIAS Greece) signed a letter, urgently requesting the relocation of displaced children stranded in Greece to other EU member states.96 In September 2020, a wide alliance (including Caritas Europe, the Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME), the European Council on Refugees and 10 Exiles, the ICMC, the International Rescue Committee, the Red Cross, and the SHARE Network) released an advocacy statement to the European Commission on the situation of migrants and refugees in Europe.97 The alliance asked for a more equitable sharing of responsibility in responding to the needs of people on the move and for safe and legal passages to Europe.98 Faith actors, at times, have been excluded from decision-making processes on migration at the policy level. Recently, however, governments and international organizations are more aware of the roles that faith actors play in responding to migration and forced displacement. In the 2018 Global Compacts on Refugees and on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration faith actors were included as relevant stakeholders. Box 8 - Faith Over Fear movement supported by UNICEF and Religions for Peace109 UNICEF and Religions for Peace in 2017, launched the movement, Faith Over Feara global multi-religious advocacy initiative. Its aim is to spread positive messages about migration and faith to promote a welcoming culture towards displaced people among faith communities. One example from Germany (provided by the WCCs Churches Commitments to Children for this campaign) is a video110 telling the story of a Christian retired couple from Bonn who met two Syrian Muslim refugees at a local church. As their friendship became stronger, the German couple decided to host the Syrians, several weeks before they had their first child. They ended up living together for over eight months and now feel that they belong to the same extended family, celebrating Ramadan and Christmas together.111 The campaign also features a social media toolkit112 to facilitate the engagement of religious leaders and faith communities who are willing to share their stories of choosing faith over fear. A number of faith actors made recommendations during the development of the Compacts. The Interfaith Conference on the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees brought together faith actors and policymakers and called for a greater acknowledgement of the roles played by FBOs.99 The JLI published a policy brief100 on Faith Actors and the Implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees, outlining issues, examples and recommendations of burden and responsibility sharing, reception and admission, meeting needs and supporting communities, and durable solutions. Faith actors are often part of networks making a strong impact in the international arena. Since the Global Compacts were adopted, faith actors have released statements on the importance of following their principles and guidelines, and faith communities have been urged to act to assist migrants and refugees accordingly.101 The 2019 Local Humanitarian Leadership forum in Beirut, Lebanon, emphasized that engaging local faith actors is in line with the commitments of the Global Compacts on Migration and on Refugees.102 The forum emphasized the need to localize assistance to migrants and refugees by effectively engaging local faith actors.103 Faith actors are often involved in advocacy efforts on issues affecting children on the move. They organize themselves in coalitions and take part in multi-religious campaigns, such as campaigning against the detention of children due to their immigration status104 or family separation,105 and support the right to birth registration.106 Faith actors use their influence to foster peaceful coexistence and combat violence in the name of religion through advocacy initiatives. They use statements to declare unity and speak out against xenophobia, such as the Athens Declaration, United Against Violence in the Name of ReligionSupporting the Citizenship Rights of Christians, Muslims and Other Religious and Ethnic Groups in the Middle East. 107 During the 2015-2016 refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, many religious leaders, faith actors and multi-faith alliances mobilised to push for a welcoming response and to fight against hostile populist reactions. For instance, in the UK, a multi-religious coalition of over 200 Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders reacted to the refugee and migrant crisis by issuing an open letter108 to the then Prime Minister, Theresa May. They urged the government to establish legal routes for refugees from Syria and other countries, especially for those who had family in the UK. The study Faith and Childrens Rights, conducted by Arigatou International in collaboration with the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) and World Vision International, collected recommendations for action from religious leaders, child rights advocates, and children themselves. Participants demonstrated that the deepening of faith actors understanding of childrens rights may help communities to see the common ground between rights and religion, leading to the formation of fruitful partnerships. Such ideas can be incorporated into sermons and activities in religious communities. Faith actors can refer to legal agreements such as the Convention on the Rights of From Faith to Action 11 the Child and use the power of its mandate as a tool to advance initiatives that support children and families in their communities.113 The expertise of faith actors can significantly strengthen policy concerning the criteria for resettlement and engagement with host communities to guarantee welcome and protection of unaccompanied or separated children. This will also ensure to put in place special measures to counter risky transit and post-arrival integration, including education and trauma healing. Such endeavours can assist in counteracting negative responses to resettlement and ensuring effective integration processes.114 Opportunities and ChallengesAs this publication illustrates, engaging faith actors can result in more effective responses to the vulnerabilities of displaced children. To summarise, faith actors can contribute to: Assisting children on the move along migration routes. This includes performing or funding SAR operations, engaging in the creation and implementation of safe and legal routes, and providing basic services such as shelter, food and legal advice to children on the move and their families after arrival. Offering spiritual and psychosocial support that can enhance childrens resilience to sustain their sense of belonging and support them through their migration process. Facilitating integration and social inclusion by enhancing access to social services (in particular education) and promoting empathy, welcoming practices and shared space between the host community and the newcomers. Fostering social cohesion and inter-religious dialogue to combat xenophobia and discrimination. Advocating for and influencing policy makers towards more inclusive response approaches to displaced children and their families. Some challenges have also emerged from this review of faith actors engagements in response to the displacement of children and their families. In particular: Faith actors support can be hampered by legal challenges. For example, the legal cases against Kirchenasyl (church asylum) in Germany and the increasing detention of asylum seekers in Hungary. They require help to combat the criminalisation of migrants support. Faith actors, especially faith communities, are often heterogeneous and complex entities, which can have internal tensions and challenges. These need to be identified, and, if possible, addressed through dialogue. Recognition of the plurality and nuanced nature of faith actors is critical to avoid stereotyping. Some faith actors might lack institutional capacity required by common humanitarian standards to implement large-scale refugee response projects. When collaboration is established between international organizations and local and national faith actors that there can be opportunities for enhanced visibility, mutual understanding, finding points of complementarity, and capacity sharing. Faith actors and their activities are not exempt from politicisation. For example, they can fuel anti-migrant sentiments to ensure the support of political actors. Their engagement can also be instrumental in achieving other actors political agenda. To establish a long-term relationship of trust with key local faith actors, these factors need to be taken into consideration and addressed through in-depth knowledge of the local political context and trust building in the partnership. Recognition of the plurality and nuanced nature of faith actors is critical. 12 promising prActice cAse study #1: ecumenicAl humAnitAriAn orgAnizAtion, serbiA EHOs work in Serbia is multifaceted. It ranges from fostering the inclusion and empowerment of marginalised groups such as the Roma community116 and supporting children and the elderly117 to peacebuilding work with young people from different ethnic and faith communities.118 Since 2015, EHO has been assisting migrants and refugees in transit through Serbia.119 Part of this engagement focused on children on the move and access to education in particular. A previous project120 on social inclusion, now concluded, specifically addressed the needs of children on the move by supporting their inclusion in local schools through training local teachers in intercultural work to promote welcoming approaches and counter prejudice and discrimination. This previous project focussing on inclusion was financially supported by Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER)121 and implemented in partnership with the local government. Building on it, EHO started a new project in 2019 called Empowerment of Refugee 1. The Ecumenical Humanitarian Organizations work with children and women on the move in SerbiaThe Ecumenical Humanitarian Organization (EHO) is a development organization guided by Christian ethical values. A member of Act Alliance,115 it was founded in 1993 in Novi Sad, Serbia, on the initiative of the World Council of Churches (WCC). The founding churches are the Slovak Evangelical A.B. church in Serbia, the Serbian Reformed Christian church, the Apostolic Exarchate for Greek Catholics in Serbia and Montenegro and the Evangelic Christian A.B. church in Serbia-Vojvodina. The ecumenical nature of the organization is unique in Serbia. It contributes to the expansion of its engagement, both in terms of areas and type of intervention as well as in geographical terms within Serbia. For EHO, respect for human rights and the dignity of all people is a core value. UNICEF/UNI220347/Pancic From Faith to Action 13 Women and Children, financially supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), which is the main focus of his case study. 2. The context: Children and youth on the move in SerbiaUNHCR data on Serbia reflecting mixed migration movements from January until 27 September 2020 shows that, after a sharp drop in arrivals between April and the beginning of June, the number of arrivals rose considerably. During the whole period, 1,129 unaccompanied minorsaround 84% of which were maleentered the territory.122 According to the latest data (September 2020) from UNHCR and the Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migration (hereinafter Commissariat),123 Serbia currently hosts almost 26,000 refugees, 197,000 IDPs, and around 1,900 people at risk of statelessness. The number of people living in some of the Asylum Centres (AC) and Reception and Transit Centres (RTC) around the country has been growing in the last months. For example, a UNHCR assessment of the sites from August 2020 reported that the Sombor RTC was operating at full capacity with 753 people (of which 10% were children).124 The numbers rose to 854 by the end of August and to 1,141 at the end of September.125 Serbia is one of the countries in the Balkan region where the effects of restrictive policies on border crossings are more visible. In September 2020, the number of migrants and refugees who were pushed back from neighbouring states (3,115) was more significant than the number of arrivals, and the highest since UNHCR started monitoring them in 2016.126 In September, the total number of migrants and refugees hosted in RTCs or ACs in the country was 5,064526 were children, including 174 unaccompanied minors.127 Numerous sources have identified a significant increase in violent border enforcement practices and pushback operations in the areas close to the borders to Hungary and Croatia, where EHO operates.128 Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic until the beginning of November, Serbia had 55,676 confirmed cases and 861 deaths.129 The COVID-19 crisis worsened the situation for many refugees and migrants. A 2020 report by Save the Children highlighted how physical distancing is virtually impossible in often overcrowded transit centres in the Western Balkans.130 Due to further restrictions on freedom of movement, only a few NGOs were allowed to keep working inside RTCs and ACs.131 New rules on sanitization and the use of masks were introduced in all centres.132 Children on the move, and especially unaccompanied minors, have faced and continue to face several obstacles to their right to educationfrom language barriers and lack of documents necessary for enrolment to adequately trained teachers.133 However, in the last years, several efforts have been made to ensure access to education for children in RTCs and ACs centres in Serbia.134 For instance, a transportation service for children living in a reception centre and attending a local school was organized by IOM Serbia in collaboration with the Commissariat and funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis and the MADAD Fund.135 Moreover, before the second lockdown began, several children living in RTCs and ACswith the support of UNCHR Serbiahad either started going to school or received vouchers for the purchase of books and other school materials.136 3. EHOs Empowerment of Refugee Women and Children ProgramBuilding on the social inclusion project described in Section 1, the program Empowerment of Refugee Women and Children137 is currently implemented by EHO in the RTCs of id, near the border to Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Sombor, near the border to Hungary. The geographical position of both camps plays an important

Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania PH OTO : DA NIJ EL SO LDO iBasis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania When citing this report, please use the following wording: UNICEF, Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office (ECARO), 2022. Authors: This policy brief has been prepared by a team led by Alina Makareviien, Project Manager and Lead Expert at PPMI. Haroldas Broaitis, PPMI Research Director, contributed to the report as a scientific advisor. The following experts have provided content on their areas of expertise: Greta Skubiejt (early childhood education and care and education), Agn Zakaraviit (health and housing), Aist Vaitkeviit (nutrition, material child poverty and social exclusion), Loes van der Graaf (administrative coordinator). Project management: Daniel Molinuevo, together with Kristina Stepanova (European Child Guarantee National Coordinator in Lithuania) and the rest of the Steering Committee of the third preparatory phase of the European Child Guarantee in Lithuania. Acknowledgements: Thanks are also due to James Nixon, language editor at PPMI, and many other experts who have shared their knowledge. UNICEF, 2022 The information and views set out are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Commission and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. More information on the European Union is available at www.europa.eu. The material in this policy brief was commissioned by UNICEF ECARO in collaboration with the Lithuanian National Committee for UNICEF. UNICEF accepts no responsibility for errors. The findings, interpretations, opinions and views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policies or views of UNICEF. Contents 1. Introduction 01 2. Free and effective access to ECEC 03 3. Free and effective access to education 07 4. Free and effective access to health care 11 5. Effective access to healthy nutrition 15 6. Effective accesss to adequate housing 18 7. Social services and benefits in cash 21 iiBasis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania PH OTO CR ED IT: U NIC EF, SA MIR KA RA HO DA 1. Introduction Child poverty has an immediate and long-term effects on both individuals and society. Due to particular needs of children, and the limited coping capabilities tied to their specific life stage, children are impacted more acutely by poverty, particularly at an early age. Poverty and deprivation during childhood impact an individuals health, educational attainment, employability and social connections, and increase the risk of future behavioural problems. Thus, poverty and social exclusion at a young age often extend into later stages of life, perpetuating intergenerational poverty and inequalities. Childrens experiences of poverty and social exclusion depend not only on the extent of income poverty and material deprivation, but are also highly influenced by their immediate caregiving environment (e.g., family composition, foster care) and the characteristics of the local community (e.g. the level of access to public services). This policy brief contributes to the drafting of the Lithuanian National Action Plan on reducing child poverty and identifies the key challenges to achieving the goals of the European Child Guarantee in Lithuania. It provides an overview of the policies currently in place and provides recommendations ranging from improving access to free early childhood education and care (ECEC), to education, health care, healthy nutrition, , and adequate housing. This policy brief is based on the findings and recommendations identified in the deep-dive analysis and consists of five parts, each covering a different policy area. Each part comprises three sections, dealing with the main access barriers to access, policy responses and recommendations for ECEC, education, health care, nutrition and housing services for children. 1 2Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania Key messages Effective access to quality ECEC services is one of the most important factors in ensuring equality in childrens further development and academic achievements, as well as to ensuring childrens safety. Meanwhile, in Lithuania, access to ECEC remains one of the biggest challenges especially for the youngest children. Not enough places are available in public centres, and private for-profit services are very expensive. In addition, hidden costs (such as meals and transport) exist even in the public sector, thereby rendering access to ECEC especially problematic for the most vulnerable children, such as children from low-income families and families at social risk. Due to the large group sizes in public ECEC centres and a lack of learning support specialists, there is also a lack of inclusion with regard to children with SEN (Special Education Needs), disabilities, and children from minority groups. Effective access to education, first and foremost, requires equality among schools and regions within the country, which is currently lacking in Lithuania. Vulnerable children, such as children from low-income families, children from families at social risk, children in rural areas, and children from national minorities within Lithuania, receive a lower quality of education. The reason for this is that schools in rural areas and in certain parts of cities, as well as schools for national minorities, lack qualified teachers, necessary learning equipment, up-to-date books and methodologies. The issue of hidden costs also applies, particularly in relation to access to non-formal education. Meanwhile, children with SEN and disabilities do not receive quality education due to teachers lack of knowledge about working with such children, as well as a lack of adapted methodology, and a lack of learning support specialists. To reduce these barriers, all schools should be equipped with laboratories, IT equipment, highly qualified teachers, all necessary learning support specialists, up-to-date books, and adapted methodologies. Schools should also provide children with universal benefits and represent cultural diversity. Meanwhile, with regard to non-formal education, children must be provided with a wide range of activities that correspond to their individual needs and capacities, and transport should be provided for children with SEN and disabilities as well as children living in distant areas. Socio-economic disadvantages negatively influence childrens access to the healthcare system in Lithuania due to families inability to afford treatments, long waiting lists, long travel times or no means of transport, a lack of time due to parents working commitments, etc. Effective access to free healthcare requires improved access to healthcare services for the most disadvantaged groups such as children in low-income families and precarious family situations; a greater focus on children with disabilities and special needs, as well as Roma and migrant children; the development of mental health services and the improvement of after-school opportunities for childrens physical activity. A lack of effective access to healthy nutrition during infancy contributes to a range of poor health outcomes in future life, as well as impacting physical and mental well-being and cognitive functioning, and contributing to lower learning outcomes. The most vulnerable children in Lithuania are those from low-income families, families at social risk, and children living in remote rural areas. Parents with low incomes cannot afford healthy foods as these are often more expensive than less healthy alternatives. In addition, parents at social risk may lack knowledge regarding the importance of nutrition, and parents raising children in remote areas may face additional barriers of access due to a lack of transport or its cost. The most vulnerable period for children is during infancy, when they should be breastfed, and their nutrition relies on mothers awareness as well as their eating habits. Tackling barriers to access such as the affordability of healthy foods, as well as addressing unhealthy eating habits by promoting and enabling healthy eating and ensuring that all children have at least one full healthy, balanced meal per day, are therefore particularly important in tackling food insecurity for AROPE children. Housing deprivation is a much bigger issue for children living in low-income families compared with other income groups of children in Lithuania. Effective access must be ensured to adequate housing and access to housing support services needs to be improved for the most disadvantaged groups in Lithuania: children in low-income households, children of single parents, children from large families, children with disabilities, Roma and migrant children. A greater focus should be placed on improving the income situation of families in Lithuania. Social services and benefits in cash significantly improve access to ECEC, education, health care, nutrition and housing. In Lithuania, some of these benefits include universal child benefits, social benefits, the family card, and one-time COVID-19 benefit and benefits for pregnant women. Other important programmes to improve the overall situation of the most vulnerable children include the action plan for complex services for families, the child well-being programme, case management and the policy of deinstitutionalization. 3Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in LithuaniaP HO TO C RE DIT : UN ICE F 2. Free and effective access to ECEC Main challenges experienced by children regarding ECEC in LithuaniaAccess to ECEC services remains a challenge in Lithuania. As in most post-Soviet countries where policies have been shaped to support stay-at-home mothering and nuclear families, and where a clear division of gender roles exists between men and women, insufficient attention has been paid to expanding the ECEC system. Policy in Lithuania has traditionally focused on supporting the aforementioned gender roles, and inattention towards developing the ECEC system has led to a lack of available ECEC services and a lack of flexibility in those services that do exist (both in terms of working hours and the types of ECEC providers), particularly with regard to children aged 0 to 3 years old. In addition, there is insufficient inclusion and access to ECEC services for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and disabilities, children with migrant backgrounds and children living in families at social risk, especially when such children live in rural areas. Due to a lack of public services, parents have to rely on private for-profit services, which are very expensive. Most vulnerable families, such as single-parent families, cannot afford them. For single-parent families, the situation is extremely complicated: they may face long waiting lists for enrolment into ECEC, as most municipalities in Lithuania give priority in enrolment into ECEC to families in which both parents are registered in the same area. On top of this, even in public ECEC centres, hidden costs constitute a great burden for low-income families. Meanwhile, in many cases, families with children living in rural areas cannot afford transport to and from ECEC services. Inequality between children in the education system is therefore present from a very early age. 3 4Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania Table 1 . Number of children requiring free and effective access to ecec Vulnerable group Estimated size of the group Data source and year Children in low-income families 21.6% (38, 000) of children up to 6 years old are at risk of poverty Eurostat, 2020 Children living in families at social risk 17,430 (children of all ages) Official Statistics Portal, 2018 Children living in rural areas 50,232 Education Management Information System, 2020-2021 Children with special needs and disabilities 24,962 Education Management Information System, 2020-2021 Children with migrant backgrounds Returnee children: 976Immigrant children: 1,007 Ministry of Education and Science, 2018Official Statistics Portal, 2020 The policy responses to improve access to ECEC To improve the availability of ECEC services, the Lithuanian government has established mandatory pre-primary education. Other tools include recognizing different forms of ECEC provision, providing children with transport, free meals and more. The National Education Development Programme 2021-2030 foresees that by 2030, 95% of children between ages of 3 and the age of compulsory primary education will attend ECEC services, while 75% of children from families at social risk will attend ECEC. It is also foreseen to improve the inclusion of children with SEN. The main tools to achieve these goals include the creation of new ECEC sites (including modular kindergartens and family kindergartens), and the improvement of teachers competences via various courses and peer learning. Modular system kindergartens are flexible spaces, generally made from light construction modules, which can be easily remodelled if necessary. Family kindergartens, meanwhile, are formed when a child-raising parent takes care of other children for a certain fee, using the facilities of his or her own home. Nevertheless, while the goals of current policies are promising, there is a lack of concrete steps that need to be taken, together with a lack of financial distribution. In the current situation, access to ECEC among the most vulnerable children remains a challenge, as priorities regarding enrolment into ECEC remain based on the strengths of families, rather than their vulnerabilities, such as raising children alone, and there is a lack of transport, learning support specialists and other resources. The Description of the Requirements for Teachers qualifications foresees that at least one teacher in the childrens group should have a BA qualification; all teachers should have attended courses of at least 40 hours on working with children with SEN, disabilities, and other vulnerable backgrounds, and at least 40 hours of courses on teaching the Lithuanian language. Nevertheless, there is still a shortage of workforce in ECEC due to the professions lack of attractiveness and the lack of financing in this area. Although salaries for pre-primary teachers have been raised, ECEC teachers and learning support specialists remain among the lowest-paid professionals. To help ensure the quality of services, all ECEC centres are also provided with methodological recommendations. These recommendations include topics such as identifying childrens individual needs and improving childrens academic, artistic and social skills. Moreover, they provide information on how to approach and work with children with SEN, disabilities, migrant backgrounds, as well as children from low-income families and other vulnerable backgrounds. Meanwhile, mandatory pre-primary education for all children, and mandatory ECEC education for children from families at social risk, as well as a minimum of 5 hours mandatory provision of Lithuanian language courses for migrant children of all ages while attending ECEC, seek 5Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania to ensure childrens safety and equality. The aim of these measures is to provide children with an equal starting point when they attend primary school; however, such measures are not always carried out due to a shortage of workforce and the competences of teachers, as well as the large sizes of childrens groups. Other tools include the provision of transport, increasing the number of ECEC centres, and assessment tools for children. In addition, children from families at social risk are also provided with free meals, learning equipment, family monitoring by The Child Welfare Commission, and counselling parents regarding the benefits of ECEC. Recommendations for improving access to ECEC Make ECEC universal for children from 0 years old to the age of compulsory primary education, with priority being given to children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The current goal is to achieve universal ECEC for all children between the ages of 2 and primary education by 2025. Progressive universalism could help to reach these goals. Progressive universalism means that children from vulnerable backgrounds are given priority in terms of access to ECEC. Financial allocations could also be raised to help children from vulnerable backgrounds to access ECEC. More attention to parents and their needs. It is important to inform parents about the benefits of ECEC via families social workers and health care specialists. Outreach mechanisms could provide significant benefits in terms of involving children from vulnerable backgrounds. It is also crucial to help parents with bureaucratic processes, and to simplify these processes as much as possible. Improve the inclusion of children with SEN. Although quality ECEC has a dramatic impact on the development of children with SEN, currently only around 20% of such children attend general ECEC in Lithuania. Improving the inclusion of children with SEN requires extended training for the ECEC workforce, both during their initial studies and while working in ECEC. There is currently a lack of teacher training in this area, mainly due to a lack of financing. This should be improved. In addition, it is important to reduce the sizes of childrens groups, and to determine the number of children per teacher. Where teachers work with groups including children with SEN, those groups should contain a smaller number of children. Address issues of gender inequality and reconciliation of work and family life. ECEC services are important for removing obstacles to the employment of women, particularly single mothers, and for single parents in general. Access to ECEC contributes to gender equality by allowing greater flexibility to manage family and work-life balance for both mothers and fathers. It is important that more flexible ECEC services are made available, with different working hours, and that single parents are given priority with regard to enrolment in ECEC. Address geographical disparities. Lithuania is currently unable to ensure equal enrolment into ECEC across the country. First and foremost, increasing access to ECEC, means developing infrastructure and increasing the number of teachers. The level of provision is lower in rural areas than in urban areas, and in urban areas, fewer high-quality ECEC resources are available in poorer neighbourhoods. Clear guidelines regarding structural quality and financing must be set at national level, to avoid children suffering inequalities in conditions depending on where they are born. It is also necessary to ensure equality among ECEC providers regarding the quality of services provided to children with SEN and disabilities, and to ensure that these children receive high-quality services close to their homes. Support the ECEC workforce. As previously mentioned, more time and money should be invested into the continuous professional development of working teachers as well as teachers training. The strong connections with teacher training institutions for ECEC could be further expanded to include on-site training or mentoring for working teachers. Moreover, professional development should be embedded into the process of quality monitoring, creating a system that focuses on measuring quality, reflecting on the results, and supporting teachers in making improvements. Every teacher should receive continuous professional development training continuous training and supervision in class, as well as training on special education, psychology, and IT; teachers should be able to attend qualification courses abroad and to receive video 6Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania feedback. More attention should be focused on improving teachers salaries and the status of the teaching profession, as well as increasing diversity among teachers in ECEC centres. Set clear requirements for curriculum. Curricula need to be planned within an open framework that acknowledges and addresses the diverse interests and needs of children holistically. This should include addressing differences between boys and girls; children with SEN; children from national minorities; and children from families at social risk. While planning curricula, it is important to take into account global challenges, technological advancement, topics relating to everyday life challenges, and the identities of various ethnic minorities. Children, especially those from families at social risk, should be provided with facilities to meet their hygiene requirements, and centres should pay extra attention to the nutrition and health of such children. With regard to children with SEN and disabilities, recommendations provided by doctors and other services should be followed carefully at all times. It is also important to involve children and their parents in the process of creating curricula. Ensure that policy goals are oriented towards improving access to and the quality of ECEC. Strong public policy commitment to ECEC is important, and must be backed by a bold vision, strong plans and adequate funds. Promoting ECEC as a central priority in national education strategies and plans including clear targets, indicators and ministerial leadership can make a significant difference in terms of the political and financial importance given to the sector. Robust governance and accountability mechanisms across decentralized levels are also important in ensuring the efficient allocation and use of ECEC resources. Develop comprehensive quality monitoring. To ensure success, the monitoring and assessment framework should cover structural aspects of quality (child-staff ratio, qualification levels of staff); process quality (e.g., interaction with children, the content of activities); and outcome quality (looking at the benefits for children, families, communities and society). Monitoring needs to include assessments of the accessibility of ECEC for children living in rural areas, children from low-income and single parent families, for families at social risk, and for children from ethnically non-Lithuanian families. Furthermore, the quality of staff, price of services, curricula, governance and funding should also be monitored. General quality criteria need to be set at the highest possible levels, but should also encompass regional and local levels, and should ideally align with the EU ECEC Quality Framework. The ECEC workforce, the children themselves and their parents should all be empowered and included into the quality monitoring process. Information from both self-assessment and external evaluations regarding the quality of the ECEC system should be used as the basis for improvement. Information about the quality of the ECEC system should also be made available to the public. PH OTO CR ED IT: U NIC EF 3. Free and effective access to education Main challenges experienced by children in Lithuania in relation to education Although education is free and universal for all children in Lithuania, many barriers to access and other challenges still remain. First and foremost, great inequality exists between schools in terms of the quality of services, with the greatest disadvantage evident in schools in rural areas, certain areas of cities and in minority language schools. Such inequality exposes children living in rural areas and less well-off urban areas, as well as the children of non-Lithuanian ethnic groups, to low-quality education. Many of the schools attended by these children suffer a lack of laboratories, IT equipment, learning support specialists, up-to-date books and methodologies and highly qualified teachers, and a lack of transport to and from non-formal education activities as well as a lack of choice in such activities. The lack of learning support specialists and lack of choice in free-of-charge non-formal education activities, especially among children with SEN and disabilities, is major and prevent problem in all schools. Moreover, although education is considered free of charge for all children, hidden costs remain a great issue. Despite school tuition being free, the families of school students have to pay for certain school materials, activity books, transport, food and various extra courses and activities that contribute to their learning. This can be extremely problematic for low-income families, especially those living in remote areas, where hidden costs limit access to both formal and non-formal education. Immigrant children, returnee children and children of migrant origin are also insufficiently included in the educational system. There is a lack of teachers from different cultural backgrounds in schools, Lithuanian language is not sufficiently well taught to non-native-speaking children, and teachers lack the skills to work with children with different languages and cultures. A lack of learning support specialists is also a major problem in this context. 7 8Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania Table 2. Number of children in need of free and effective access to education Vulnerable group Estimated size of the group Data source and year Children in low-income families 24.8% (100, 000) of children between ages of 6 and 19 are at risk of poverty Eurostat, 2020 Roma children 1,036 (children of all ages) Overview of Roma situation in Lithuania, 2016 Migrant and returnee children Returnee-children: 412 Immigrant children: 3,303 Ministry of Education and Science, 2018OSP, 2020 Children from non-Lithuanian ethnic backgrounds 31,502 Education management information system, 2020-2021 Children living in rural areas 53,510 Education management information system, 2020-2021 Children with special needs and disabilities 4,873 Education management information system, 2020-2021 Policy responses to improve access to educationThe Lithuanian government recognizes the issue of low academic achievements among Lithuanian children and its link to the lack of quality of education in Lithuanian. The government recognizes issues such as inequalities between schools and the lack of inclusion of the most vulnerable children such as children with SEN and disabilities and children of migrant origin. To reduce these inequalities, it proposes to equip all schools equally with highly qualified teachers, learning support specialists, laboratories, IT equipment and the necessary methodologies. The National Education Development Programme 2021-2030 foresees that by 2030, 97% of children with SEN and 75% of children with disabilities will attend general education schools; 75% of all children will attend non-formal education; 50% of children with SEN will attend non-formal education; 65% of teachers will be employed in schools after graduation; and 40% of teachers will have MA degree. In addition, it is expected to improve pupils PISA results to reach 16th place among all participating countries by the year 2025. To achieve these goals, the government has allocated a budget of EUR 550 million. The Strategic Action Plan of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport for the year 2021-2023 seeks to improve teachers qualifications; implement the monitoring and assessment of students, schools and education as a whole; develop infrastructure for inclusive education; and to integrate formal and non-formal education. Tools to achieve these goals include courses to improve teachers competencies; increases in teachers salaries; online self-assessment programmes for schools; monitoring indicators for education; purchasing additional school buses and laboratory equipment; modernizing school infrastructure; modernizing non-formal education facilities; increasing support to Lithuanian schools abroad; providing coordinated support to immigrated and returnee children and their families; expanding the number of all-day schools; and increasing funding for student benefits. Nevertheless, teaching remains among the lowest-paid professions, and teachers do not receive any of the financial and educational support necessary to motivate them when working with children with SEN and disabilities, or with children from minority backgrounds. The Political Programme of the XVIII Government of Lithuania also sets similar goals. In addition, it foresees the establishment of national education quality standards and improvements in the quality of education in minority schools. Although most of these goals are similar to those set in previously mentioned documents, the Political Programme of the XVIII Government of Lithuania foresees the use of different tools to achieve these goals. These include modernizing the curricula (including a multilingual reading and maths programme, as well as updated history programmes that recognize the importance of minorities in Lithuanian culture), reduced class 9Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania sizes, additional financing for learning support specialists, more up-to-date books in minority languages, and the digitalization of minority schools. According to data from interviews, the issue of schools lack of autonomy still remains, as they are not given the power to make their own decisions regarding financial allocations and various aspects of curricula, despite the schools themselves being best placed to know what is missing, and what is necessary for their children. Educational tools of the largest scale will include mobile school staff teams and millennial schools. Mobile school staff teams will consist of teams of teachers and other learning specialists that will go to schools facing issues and work there temporarily to improve the situation. Millennial schools will be located in different regions in Lithuania and will benefit from better teachers and STE(A)M laboratories, and modern curricula for formal and non-formal education. All children from the surrounding region will be able to use the facilities and courses provided at these schools. These schools are intended to reduce inequalities between regions, and to provide equal opportunities for all children irrespective of their living place, as well as to improve overall academic achievements. Nevertheless, some of the experts interviewed as part of this research expressed concern that these schools might even worsen equality among regions and children, as millennial schools would absorb all of the best resources in the area and become elite institutions. Children learning in other schools in the area would thereby receive an even lower quality education, as not all of them would have access to these elite schools. The inequalities between schools and regions with regard to quality therefore remains an issue. More detailed, focused tools and more integrated solutions are required to break the cycle of poverty by providing every child with the highest-quality education at all educational levels. Meanwhile, the Law Amending the Law on Education of the Republic of Lithuania and The Description of the Procedures for Organizing the Education for Pupils with SEN, seek to improve the inclusion of children with SEN, those with disabilities and those from other vulnerable backgrounds (migrants, at social risk, from low-income families etc.), as well as to reduce the number of school dropouts. The tools provided include continuously working with childrens parents, pupil self-care plans (provided for children who have various health issues), and individual learning plans. Other tools include the provision of special classes, transport, school meals, school supplies, and improved inter-institutional cooperation. Municipal administrations are encouraged to work more effectively to ensure the well-being of the child, to remove interdepartmental barriers between educational assistance, municipalities, state institutions and establishments, organizations and non-governmental actors, to ensure inter-institutional co-operation. Improved inter-institutional attention to vulnerable children and their parents should reduce social exclusion, dropouts from schools, as well as improve parents skills and involvement in their childrens education, in addition to improving childrens psycho-emotional well-being while attending educational institutions. Inter-institutional co-operation means that all of a childs needs must be identified and dealt with through cooperation between all of the necessary services and support providers. Nevertheless, the inclusion of children with SEN and disabilities, in general, remains a great challenge due to the aforementioned lack of competencies and motivation among teachers, as well as a lack of learning support specialists and the physical appropriateness of schools buildings. Other smaller-scale programmes also exist, such as quality baskets, all-day schools, day care centres and financial baskets for non-formal education. Quality baskets seek to improve pupils academic achievements. EUR 30,324,2001 were allocated to this programme across 270 schools. The programme includes the evaluation of schools, provision of improvement plans to the schools and the monitoring of their success. Meanwhile, financial baskets for non-formal education seek to improve childrens attendance in non-formal education by providing every child with a monthly allowance to purchase non-formal education activities. All-day schools are settings in which children are provided with educational activities after official school hours. The main goals of these schools are to improve the inclusion of children from vulnerable backgrounds and to reduce conflicts between parents family life and work commitments. Day care centres are social care settings in which children from the most vulnerable backgrounds (such as families at social risk) gather after school and receive help with their homework, participate in various educational and cultural activities, and receive free meals. These centres also seek to work with childrens parents to improve their parenting skills and to ensure that children receive all the support they need. Despite improved financial allocations and more attention being given to the parents, the hidden costs of education remain, and there is a lack of universal provision of school supplies and other necessary materials. 10Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania Recommendations for improving access to education There should be universal and inclusive education for all children: geographical and socio-economic disparities should be addressed, as well as differences in levels of inclusion and quality among schools. Universality and equality in the education system would reduce inequality between children from families of different socio-economic status. It would also improve academic achievement and decrease school dropouts. It is necessary to provide all children with school supplies, transport and meals to reduce hidden costs and bullying in schools. It is also important to address such differences as the unequal distribution of learning support specialists, laboratories, IT infrastructure and high-quality teaching staff among schools, and to reduce differences between elite and rural as well as minority schools. Reducing inequalities between schools would also improve the inclusion of children with SEN and children with migrant backgrounds. Targeted interventions should also take place to improve boys academic achievements. Update curricula and provide greater flexibility in the selection and design of programmes. It is crucial to enrich learning experiences while supporting the effective use of digital technologies and encouraging activities that link learning with real-life experience. It is also necessary to improve the curricula in vocational schools so that they effectively combine strong basic and job-related skills. Regions, cities and schools should be allowed to choose from a list of validated activities and programmes that best meet the needs of their children. Greater investment in measures that reduce early school leaving. Interdisciplinary communication is crucial to ensure that children who are not well included in schools are identified and worked with, to reduce the risk of dropouts. It is also necessary to improve communication with childrens parents, to ensure that they receive all the necessary information and that their individual needs and those of their children are met. Preventive and tailored interventions that involve multiple actors (such as families, schools, and so on) are identified as being more likely to succeed. Developing early warning systems for pupils at risk could help to ensure effective measures are taken before problems become manifest. The availability of various routes back into mainstream education and training is also important. Expand all-day schools and non-formal education opportunities across Lithuania. The lack of teachers and other staff, as well as additional transport costs, learning supplies, additional school meals and the necessity to adapt methodologies, are all concerns that must be addressed in order to ensure the expansion and quality of all-day schools and non-formal education across Lithuania. It is also important to address the issue of access to non-formal education for children living in rural areas, as well as for children with SEN and disabilities. Also important is the need to ensure that a variety of after school activities options are available for these children. Strengthen the teaching workforce. It is important to attract teachers with different backgrounds, genders and ages. All teachers should have a BA degree and at least some should have a Masters degree. Initial teacher education also needs to be improved, and greater flexibility should be provided in terms of the ways in which people can acquire a teaching degree. It is important to ensure that new teachers can work in a well-supported environment and receive frequent feedback and mentoring during the early years of their careers. In addition, all teachers should be provided with qualification courses, and teachers opportunities to network and exchange knowledge and experiences at school should be strengthened and improved. There should be a more coherent career pathway for teachers that rewards teaching excellence. The methods used to recruit teachers should be improved, and salaries should be raised. Set national quality standards and implement monitoring. It is important to prioritize education at policy level as part of the overall solution to social exclusion and poverty throughout the integration process. Any strategy should therefore provide clear timelines, targets, baselines and indicators to monitor progress, as well as adequate financial, material and human resources. External evaluation must be carried out, as well as the provision of methodology and tools for internal evaluation by schools. General quality criteria need to be set as high as possible, while minimum quality thresholds are also required to avoid a lack of balance between regions and avoid a situation in which the quality of a childs education depends on the region in which they are born. Funding on a larger scale should also ensure consistency between richer and poorer regions, to avoid a situation in which municipalities with a higher prevalence of low-income families lack the means to serve the needs of those families. The possibility should be considered of assigning higher weights in the funding formula to socio-economically disadvantaged students. More attention should be devoted to improving efficiency in the allocation and use of school maintenance budgets. PH OTO CR ED IT: U NIC EF - VA KH TAN G K HET AG UR I 4. Free and effective access to healthcare Main challenges experienced by children in Lithuania in relation to healthcare Socio-economic disadvantages negatively influence childrens access to the healthcare system in Lithuania. Childrens medical and dental needs may remain unmet due to various reasons, such as families inability to afford treatment, long waiting lists, long travel times, or no means of transport, as well as a lack of time due to parents work or their responsibility to care for other family members. Children in low-income or single-parent families, Roma families and children living in precarious family situations are at a high risk of not receiving necessary health treatments due to travel costs, lack of time to take children to the doctor, and also due to some necessary and continuous treatments not being entirely free of charge and, in the case of and Roma families families in precarious situations, due to a lack of education and interest in childrens health on the part of parents. One of the most obvious issues is the insufficient level of vaccinations. Vaccination rate among children in Lithuania are lower than the 95 per cent recommended by the WHO, and the issue of non-vaccination is particularly common among Roma children. Another important issue relating to healthcare is a lack of physical activity by children, often determined by the absence of interest by parents and financial reasons. The children who experience the highest risk of low physical activity are those from low-income families, families at social risk, single-parent families and Roma families, as the main reasons for low levels of physical activity include the inability to afford after-school sports activities and/or transportation, lack of time to take children to these activities or to supervise childrens activities on a daily basis, as well as the previously mentioned lack of parents education and interest in their childrens health in the cases of families at social risk and Roma families. These same groups of children do not always have access to mental health services when needed, due to long waiting lists and parents lack of time or transport to take children to consultations, especially when they live in remote rural areas, far away from clinics. The lack of availability of psychological counselling is especially problematic for children from low-income and single-parent families, as their parents often cannot afford private consultations and are even more time-poor than wealthier families. Families raising children with disabilities or special needs report having limited access to certain treatments their children need, as well as a lack of specialists, long waiting periods, and so on. Migrant and refugee children may experience limited access to free healthcare. 11 12Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania Table 3. Number of children in need of free and effective access to healthcare Vulnerable group Estimated size of the group Data source and year Children in low-income families 24% (138,000) of children between birth and the age of 19 are at risk of poverty Eurostat, 2021 Roma children 1,036 Overview of the Roma situation in Lithuania, 2016 Children living in precarious family situations 17,430 Official Statistics Portal, 2018 Migrant and returnee children 4,310 Ministry of Education and Science, 2018OSP, 2020 Children with disabilities 14,289 NGO Confederation for Children, 2017 Children with mental illness 701.05 per 10,000 children The Institute of Hygiene, 2018 Children in single-parent families 26% of all families150,000 children Eurostat, 2017Lithuanian Population and Housing Census, 2011 Policy responses to improve access to healthcareEnsuring childrens health and social well-being is an important part of the national health system in Lithuania. Access to, and the quality of, healthcare services, health literacy, mental and physical health and sex education are at the heart of the National Progress Programme 2021-2030, the Programme of the XVIII Government of the Republic of Lithuania, and the Public Healthcare Development Programme for 2016-2023. Physical activities and mental health services are not currently accessible for all children and their families in Lithuania; thus, the national focus is on spreading awareness of the importance of mental and physical health, increasing access to sporting activities, and improving childrens health monitoring. The National Progress Programme 2021-2030 strategically aims to increase social well-being inclusion within Lithuanias population, and strengthen its health. To achieve this goal, the following measures are planned: improved adaptation of the environment for people with disabilities, including children (e.g. transport, infrastructure, services, information); increased attention to childrens psychological state and access to mental health services; improved access to physical activities for children; high-quality health care services; improved health literacy; an efficient health system with focus on stronger primary care; and improved access to outpatient care. Moreover, issues such as long waiting lists to receive treatment, the high cost of drugs and high levels of corruption are also addressed. However, some healthcare programmes such as continuous rehabilitation services and treatments for certain developmental disorders, as well as transport services, remain among the biggest barriers to accessing healthcare provision for the most vulnerable children in Lithuania. The Programme of the XVIII Government of the Republic of Lithuania plans to improve access to sporting activities and mental health services. The main tools to achieve this include promoting more equal distribution of qualified sports specialists across the country; introducing up to three physical education lessons per week in all general education schools; updating the physical education curriculum; providing swimming lessons to all children in primary schools; improving sex education; and improving access to mental health services. The National Public Healthcare Development Programme for 2016-2023 also seeks to promote physical and mental health, as well as encouraging a healthy lifestyle and culture, by promoting health literacy and ensuring the sustainability of the public health care system. To achieve these goals, awareness will be raised with regard to physical and mental health, with an emphasis on the prevention of illnesses in schools; updating sports 13Basis for a European Child Guarantee Action Plan in Lithuania equipment and facilities in schools; monitoring physical activity and childrens mental state; increasing the availability of high-quality public health care services and improving the management of the public health care system overall. The key mechanism currently used ensure childrens health needs are met is preventive annual health inspections and the National Immunization Programme 2019-2023. The latter provides that all recommended vaccinations included in the national immunization scheme are free of charge. The Programme aims to ensure at least 90 per cent of children are vaccinated (in the case of measles and rubella, not less than 95 per cent) across the country and in each municipality. Meanwhile, preventive annual health examinations at health care institutions include consultations with family doctors and dentists, and are compulsory for all children attending pre-primary and general education. However, a lack of attention is paid to the health of children who fall outside formal care and education systems. Attending to the medical needs of these children depends solely on their parents who, as previously mentioned, may lack interest or knowledge about their childrens health. A grey area also exists with regard to refugee children, who have different rights to the nationals in terms of access to healthcare. Meanwhile, children with disabilities receive financial assistance and various free services. These include a social assistance pension; targeted compensation for assistance costs for children with disabilities; and universal and free early rehabilitation for children with developmental disorders. The mechanism for integrated family services includes the provision of positive parenting training, psychological counselling, ECEC services, transport and more. Nevertheless, many issues still remain for children with SEN and disabilities, who face additional challenges in addressing everyday medical needs such as dental treatment. They also lack access to special, targeted treatments and integrated assistance that could help to meet all of their needs and reduce the burden on their families. Recommendations for improving access to healthcare Consistent coordination between central and local institutions is necessary in order to ensure

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