Leaving everything behind – family, friends, and possessions – this means dangers and risks, especially to

the most vulnerable, like women, children, young people and non-accompanied minors, who are the

majority of the refugees.

The international community must be alert and use all its resources to fight against any kind of practices

that could hurt human dignity, especially human trafficking and sexual abuse and exploitation.

My congratulations to all three rapporteurs, for their very important work, full of humanity and worries

about how to protect fundamental rights and the dignity of life - the core values of the Council of Europe.

We know that host countries do not all have the same capacity to help and support refugees – even if they

are willing to receive them with open arms.

Therefore, it is important to follow what is really happening in the field to guarantee the conditions for

adequate treatment in terms of education, healthcare, employment, psychological support, and

integration.

But it is also important to avoid any kind of discrimination that any particular group can experience - either

minorities or people from third countries, also forced to leave Ukraine because of the war - especially if

they are under international protection with refugee status, as is pointed out in the report of our colleague

Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ. This is very critical, for instance, in the accession to medical universities. It is

happening in some countries, also in my country, in Portugal - for which, I'm sorry; to even take into

consideration the autonomy of the universities.

While Ukrainian people are having an easier way to get their inscriptions for studying, which is very

positive, other students from third countries are facing big difficulties to be accepted, even whilst being

under international protection.

No discrimination is acceptable, even more, when they go against international treaties.

I also would like to call your attention to another kind of displaced person - those who have been taken by

force to the territories of the Russian Federation or who are under the control of pro-Russian armies.

Nobody knows exactly how many there are, where they are, and in which conditions they are, although

there exists, in some cases, information about attempts of Russification, bad treatment, and even torture.

20 DE JULHO DE 2022 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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