EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala opens renovated Juvenile Centre in the South of Kyrgyzstan to improve child protection services for children of migrants

BISHKEK/OSH, February 28, 2022 – The EU Special Representative for Central Asia Terhi Hakala and UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan Christine Jaulmes participated in the official ceremony handing over the renovation works and equipment of the Juvenile Centre for Children and Adolescents under the Osh Oblast Department of the Ministry of Interior Affairs. The renovation work included rehabilitation of the heating, water supply, electricity systems as well as provision of furniture and IT equipment. The total amount of this renovation and equipment is more than USD $50,000.  

The European Delegation was led by Terhi Hakala, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia, who joined Christine Jaulmes, UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan in the handover ceremony.

“The Juvenile Centre provides essential and professional child-friendly support services to the most vulnerable children. While there is a high proportion of migrant workers coming from the south of Kyrgyzstan, European Union wants to ensure that children of migrants are protected”, said Terhi Hakala, the EU Special Representative for Central Asia.

This centre supports children identified without parental care or children identified as lost. It provides psychological and legal assistance to juveniles in difficult situations and protects children’s rights ensuring their health and safety.  In 2021, a total of 337 juveniles were brought to the centre by police.

“The centre offers a safe place to temporarily look after children who have crossed nearby borders for work and been returned to Kyrgyzstan, most of whom are from the Roma community and children who are found lost and separated from parents. The Centre is a child-friendly space where the focus is on the best interest of the child, recognizing their specific needs and taking in consideration their age, gender, ethnicity, religion, to find adequate solutions for them to ensure they are protected from abuse and violence and can continue to grow in a caring and supportive environment”, said Christine Jaulmes, UNICEF Representative in Kyrgyzstan.

The work on strengthening child protection services for children affected by migration and those who live in difficult live situations is carried out by UNICEF in the framework of the project “Protecting children left behind by migration in Southeast, South, and Central Asia” funded by the European Union.