Council of Europe appoints special representative to champion rights of Ukraine’s children

Former Icelandic Minister Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir appointed special envoy to support children of Ukraine, with a focus on trauma-informed care.

At last month’s meeting of the Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine, Jennifer Schuetze-Reymann, Special Adviser to the Council of Europe, announced that a Special Envoy on the situation of children of Ukraine has been appointed. The Council of Europe’s Secretary General, Alain Berset, has named Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland, as the Special Envoy.

The Envoy’s role will focus on raising awareness of the challenges faced by Ukrainian children and on promoting the Council of Europe’s initiatives and standards aimed at supporting them. She will also foster international co-operation, including with the Register of Damage caused by the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine.

Specifically, the Special Envoy will:

• Raise awareness of the challenges faced by children of Ukraine, and promote the Council of Europe’s initiatives and activities supporting them—both within the organisation and in wider international settings.
• Ensure effective co-operation and co-ordination with the Consultation Group on the Children of Ukraine, the Register of Damage, and other relevant Council of Europe bodies.
• Promote international collaboration and identify opportunities for synergy with global partners. This includes representing the Secretary General at international events and maintaining engagement with key stakeholders, such as the Coalition for the Return of Children of Ukraine.
• Propose measures to strengthen the Council of Europe’s efforts to support children of Ukraine.

According to Jennifer Schuetze-Reymann, the Special Envoy will place particular emphasis on trauma-informed care throughout her mandate. She is now fully operational in The Hague.

The newly appointed Special Envoy expressed her gratitude for being entrusted with the role. She stated that she looks forward to supporting the Secretary General’s vital work on this issue and will do her utmost to help secure and protect the rights of children affected by the war. Her professional background lies in international politics and law.

The Secretary General has emphasised that the children of Ukraine remain a priority not only for the Council of Europe, but also for him personally. Since his visit to Ukraine last December, he has advocated for the strongest possible protection of Ukrainian children—not only those still in Ukraine, but also those living across Council of Europe member states. The appointment of the Special Envoy marks a significant step forward, especially during a time of ongoing political change.