Commissioner Lenarčič in Norway to participate in a conference on child protection

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, is in Oslo to hold a series of bilateral meetings with the members of Norwegian government and to participate in the international conference 'Protecting Children in Armed Conflict – Our Common Future'.

The conference, organised by Norway, the UN, Save the Children, the ICRC, the African Union and a number of states from different regions, aims at increasing awareness of the challenges faced by children in armed conflict and mobilising in order to address them.

For the EU, preventing and eliminating the abuses suffered by children in armed conflict, remains a priority, and is an essential element of our integrated approach to child protection and education in emergencies.

In conflict affected countries like Colombia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Mozambique, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, the EU supports partners in assisting children impacted by armed violence in both humanitarian, peacebuilding, and long-term development projects.

Underlining Norway’s significant contribution and partnership under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, the Commissioner will meet with Minister of Justice and Public Security Emilie Enger Mehl, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anniken Huitfeldt, and the Minister of Health and Care Services Ingvild Kjerkol.

In the EU’s crisis response to the war in Ukraine, Norway has emerged as a key partner in delivering life-saving aid to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism.

In addition, the country is also offering a medicalised plane performing weekly flights from the EU MedEvac hub in Poland to transfer vulnerable Ukrainian patients to hospitals across Europe for further treatment.

Up to date, more than 900 patients were transported in this way to 9 destination countries. Under the overall EU MedEvac system, more than 2,263 patients have been transferred to hospitals in 21 European countries.