COE Seminar: Human rights dimensions of migration in Europe (Istanbul, 17-18 Feb)

Thomas Hammarberg, COE Commissioner for Human Rights, and the Turkish Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers are holding a migration and human rights seminar in Istanbul, 17-18 February.  From the Commissioner’s web site:  The seminar “aims to exchange views on the most important discrepancies between European migration laws and practices and human rights standards, as well as on optimal ways to provide assistance to states in reflecting on and revisiting their migration policies.”

Three general topics will be addressed: Human rights challenges of migration in Europe, Unaccompanied migrant children, and Smuggling of migrants.  Scheduled speakers and participants include:

• Karim Atassi, UNHCR Deputy Representative to Turkey;
• Tina Acketoft, PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Population;
• Emily Logan, Irish Ombudsman for Children;
• Rebecca O’Donnell, Save the Children, Brussels;
• Elisabet Fura, ECtHR Judge;
• Martin Fowke, Unit on Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants, UNODC;
• Richard Ares Baumgartner, Frontex Senior External Relations Officer ;
• Professor Dr. Nuray Ekşi, Chair of Private International Law Department at the Law Faculty of ĺstanbul Kültür University;
• Professor Theodora Kostakopoulou;

Click here for draft programme.