About the action

About the action

The Action "Children Left Behind by Labour Migration - Supporting Moldovan and Ukrainian Transnational Families in the EU" is being implemented by Babeș-Bolyai University, in collaboration with delegations of the child protection agency Terre des hommes in Romania, Moldova, and Ukraine, and together with the Ukrainian Institute for Social Research after Oleksandr Yaremenko and the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova.

Our general objective is to support the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine in improving their protection frameworks and knowledge of transnational families in relation to the social and legal impacts of labour migration to the European Union. We will do this by:

 

  • studying and understanding the potentially negative impact of labour migration policies and dynamics on the protection of children in Moldova and Ukraine
  • improving legal and policy frameworks impacting labour migration in Moldova and Ukraine, based on solid empirical research evidence
  • better informing transnational families and national stakeholders on the realities and practical issues related to labour migration
  • empowering children left behind and their families from Moldova and Ukraine to contribute to legal and policy reform on labour migration.

 

WHAT WILL CASTLE DO

In-depth qualitative research

In the context of this action, a Research Centre (aimed at obtaining the status of Centre of Excellence) for the study of transnational families is established within the Babeș-Bolyai University of Romania. The Research Centre will seek to advance research on dimensions of social inclusion, including the risks, needs and opportunities encountered by children, and to develop an intersectional qualitative analysis of children’s rights in transnational family contexts.

Awareness raising

The knowledge generated by the Research Centre will serve to identify policy and capacity gaps in the Migration and Mobility frameworks and practices of the governments of Moldova and Ukraine, as well as EU Member States. The results of the studies on transnational families will be translated into operational interventions combining training and awareness-raising activities, with the aim of better informing the design of appropriate protection frameworks and safeguarding the rights of children left behind and their families.

Capacity building and support to transnational cooperation

By providing research findings with the potential to feed into policy-making processes and through capacity building and dissemination of best practices, the action will aim to strengthen institutional support for transnational families and promote safe and ethical labour migration schemes in line with child protection standards. The partnership between the Research Centre for the study of Transnational Families at the Babeș-Bolyai University, the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and the NGO ‘Ukrainian Institute for Social Research after Oleksandr Yaremenko’ will enable the visibility of research results and overall cooperation between universities, government institutions, the private sector and civil society in the target countries and EU Member States.

 

THE ACTION`S TARGET GROUPS

  • Transnational families from Moldova, Ukraine and Romania;
  • Affiliated researchers of the Center and partner universities;
  • National, regional and local authorities in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, as well as EU countries of destination, in particular those in Portugal;
  • Political decision-makers, NGOs, the media, service providers and other professionals working with transnational and child protection families

This website has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union, contracted by ICMPD through the Migration Partnership Facility. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the Babes-Bolyai University and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union and the one of ICMPD.