The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has published the Guide on strategic litigation for lawyers and civil society organizations: Strategies to end immigration detention of children through international remedies aimed at strengthening protection of children against immigration detention and promoting rights-compliant alternatives. The Guide is intended for lawyers, civil society organizations (CSOs) and other actors engaging or considering engagement in strategic human rights litigation.
The Guide explains strategic litigation as the use of legal action to achieve change beyond an individual case and emphasizes that such litigation must be conducted in full compliance with children’s rights, including the requirement that the best interests of the child be a primary consideration. It provides an overview of international and EU human rights bodies and mechanisms available when effective remedies cannot be secured at national level, including judicial and non-judicial procedures.
It includes practical information on mandates, admissibility requirements, procedures, interim measures, and follow-up as well as litigation strategies and advocacy approaches, which may increase the impact of strategic litigation.
Download the guide
Database
The ICJ and its partners have updated and expanded a searchable database compiling international, EU, and national case law on alternatives to detention of migrant children. It the database includes decisions from Greece, Bulgaria, Poland, Czechia, Belgium, and Malta and aims to facilitate access to laws and jurisprudence; strengthen consistent application of EU and international standards; and promote implementation and improvement of alternatives to detention.
EU: Standards and case law on (alternatives to) detention of migrant children
Child-friendly materials by partner organizations
Defence for Children International–Belgium, aditus foundation, Forum for Human Rights, Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Greek Council for Refugees, and Foundation for Access to Rights have published a set of child-friendly materials with information for children in migration and their families. The materials explain children’s rights regarding alternative to immigration detention and available redress mechanisms in each target country, contributing to the awareness of the migrant children to seek access to a lawyer and legal aid.
Belgium
What can you do if you must stay in this house with your family? What are your rights?
ماذا يمكنك أن تفعل إذا وجب عليك البقاء في هذا المنزل مع عائلتك؟ ما هي حقوقك؟
Dari: اگر توسط پولیس دستگیر شوید،چه کاری می توانید انجام دهید؟چون اسناد لازم برای اقامت دربلژیک را ندارید؟
اگر مجبور باشید با خانواده تان دراین خانه بمانید، چه کاری می توانیدانجام دهید؟حقوق شما چیست؟
Wat kun je doen als je met je gezin in dit huis moet blijven? Wat zijn jouw rechten?
French: Que faire si tu es arrêté par la police car tu n’as pas les bons papiers pour rester en Belgique ?
Que peux-tu faire si tu dois rester dans cette maison avec ta famille ? Quels sont tes droits ?
Что ты можешь делать, если должен(на) жить в этом доме вместе со своей семьёй? Какие у тебя права?
¿Qué puedes hacer si debes quedarte en esta casa con tu familia? ¿cuáles son tus derechos?
Tigrinya: ብፖሊስ እንተተኣሲርካ እንታይ ክትገብር ትኽእል? ምኽንያት መእሰሪኻ ኣብ በልጂም ንክትፀንሕ ዘኽእለካ ኣደላይ ዝኾነ ሰነዳት ስለዘይሓዝካ ድዩ?
ምስ ስድራኻ ኣብዚ ገዛ ግድን ክትፀንሕ እንተኾይንካ እንታይ ክትገብር ትኽእል? እንታይ እዮም እቶም መሰላትካ?
Bu evde ailenizle kalmak zorundaysaniz ne yapabilirsiniz? Haklarınız nelerdir?
Bulgaria
Can I Be Detained if I’m Under 18?
What Are My Rights in Detention?
English: Detention of children – prevention and protection
Arabic: إحتجاز الأطفال – الوقاية والحماية
Bulgarian: Задържане на деца – превенция и защита
Farsi: بازداشت کودکان – پیشگیری و حفاظت
French: Détention d’enfants : Prévention et protection
Pashto: د ماشوم توقیف – مخنیوی او ساتنه
Russian: ЗАДЕРЖАНИЕ ДЕТЕЙ – ПРОФИЛАКТИКА И ЗАЩИТА
Ukrainian: ЗАТРИМАННЯ ДІТЕЙ – ПОПЕРЕДЖЕННЯ ТА ЗАХИСТ
The Czech Republic
ماذا سيحدث، وماذا يمكنك أن تفعل، ومن يمكنه مساعدتك إذا كنت أنت وعائلتك في مركز احتجاز للأجانب؟
Czech: Co tě čeká, co můžeš dělat a kdo ti pomůže, pokud musíš zůstat v detenci bez doprovodu?
Co tě čeká, co můžeš dělat a kdo ti pomůže, pokud musíš zůstat v detenci se svou rodinou?
Greece
English: What can you do if you are in detention at the police or confined in a camp?
Arabic: ماذا يمكنك أن تفعل إذا كنت في الحجز عند الشرطة أو داخل مخيم؟
Dari: اگر در بازداشتگاه پولیس هستید یا در یک کمپ محبوس هستید، چه کاری می توانید انجام دهید؟
Farsi: اگر در بازداشت پلیس یا کمپ هستید، چه کاری می توانید انجام دهید؟
Malta
English: What can you do if you must stay in this detention centre?
Arabic: ماذا يمكنك أن تفعل إذا كان عليك البقاء في مركز الاحتجاز هذا؟
Bangla: আপনাকে এই আটক কেন্দ্রে থাকতে হলে আপনি কী করতে পারেন?
Dari: اگر مجبور باشید در اینبازداشتگاه بمانید، چه کاریمی توانید انجام دهید؟
Poland
English: Know your rights: Summary for unaccompanied children and adolescents in a guarded centre for foreigners
What am I doing here? leaflet on detention and placement in a guarded center for foreigners for unaccompanied children and young people
Arabic: ملخّص للأطفال والمراهقين غير المصحوبين في مركز المهاجرين المغلق اعرف حقوقك
لماذا أنا هنا؟ نشرة حول الاحتجاز والإقامة في مركز احتجاز الأجانب للأطفال والشباب غير المصحوبين بذويهم
Dari: لاصه یی برای کودکان و نوجوانان بدون همراه در یک مرکز تحت مراقبت برای خارجی ها حقوق خود را بشناسید
من اینجا چه کامی کنم؟ بروشور مربوط به بازداشت و نگهداری در مراکز نگهداری اتباع خارجی برای کودکان و نوجوانان بدون همراه
Farsi: از حقوق خود آگاه باشید خلاصهای برای کودکان و نوجوانان بدون همراه در مراکز حفاظت اتباع خارجی
بروشور مربوط به بازداشت و نگهداری کودکان و نوجوانان بدون همراه در مراکز حفاظت اتباع خارج من اینجا چه میکنم؟
Polish: chcę poznać swoje prawa: ulotka dla dzieci i młodzieży bez opieki w strzeżonym ośrodku dla cudzoziemców
Co ja tutaj robię? Ulotka dotycząca zatrzymania i umieszczania w strzeżonym ośrodku dla cudzoziemców dla dzieci i młodzieży bez opieki
Russian: знай свои права: краткая информация для детей и подростков без сопровождения взрослыхв охраняемом центре для иностранцев
что я здесь делаю? буклет о задержании и направлении в охраняемый центр для иностранцев для детей и молодых людей без сопровождения
Somali: ogow xuquuqahaaga: xogta kooban ee ku saabsan carruurta iyo dhallinyarada aan lala socon ee ku jira xarun lagu hayo dadka ajaanibta ah
Halkan maxaan ka qabanayaa? Warqad daabacan oo ay ku qoran tahay haynta iyo ku meelaynta xarunta lagu ilaaliyo ajaanibta ah carruurta iyo dhalinyarada aan lala socon
Background
The ‘Protecting migrant children against detention through the EU Charter’ (RELEASE) project promotes the expansion and implementation of viable, rights-based alternatives to detention for migrant children at risk of being subjected to unlawful detention or whose rights may be violated in alternatives to detention. The project builds on the results and training materials of the ICJ’s CADRE project which highlighted a need for greater support to human rights lawyers in strengthening their ability, and that of civil society, to engage in strategic litigation to end the immigration detention of children. The consortium of partners fosters a favorable EU environment to protect children from immigration detention in Malta with Aditus Foundation, Belgium with Defence for Children International – Belgium, the Czech Republic with Forum for Human Rights, Poland with Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Greece with Greek Council for Refugees, and Bulgaria with Foundation for Access to Rights.
The Guide reflects lessons learned from national trainings, transnational workshops and webinars organized as part of the RELEASE project.
Contact
Karolína Babická, Senior Legal Adviser: karolina.babicka@icj.org
Laura Duchamp, Legal Researcher, laura.duchamp@icj.org
