After a five days mission to Greece, the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants highlighted the urgency of considering alternatives to detention for all migrants, and especially unaccompanied minors and families with children.
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This study from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) provides an overview of issues relating to immigration detention practices, and promotes the use of alternatives to immigration detention of children (ATDs). The study argues that the main idea behind ATDs is identifying options which provide state authorities with a degree of control over asylum seekers while allowing for a basic freedom of movement. ATDs need to be regulated in order to avoid the arbitrary imposition of restrictions on liberty or freedom of movement and, even when alternatives apply, access to legal aid should be given to migrants, especially to children.
The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is underway, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is underway, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
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The Committee recalls that the assessment of the age of a young person who claims to be a minor is of fundamental importance, as the outcome determines whether that person will be entitled to or excluded from national protection as a child. Similarly, the enjoyment of the rights set out in the Convention flows from that determination. It is therefore imperative that there be due process to assess a person’s age, as well as the opportunity to challenge the outcome through an appeals process. While that process is under way, the person should be given the benefit of the doubt and treated as a child. The best interests of the child should be a primary consideration throughout the age determination process.
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The objective of this general comment is to draw attention to the particularly vulnerable situation of unaccompanied and separated children; to outline the multifaceted challenges in ensuring that such children are able to access and enjoy their rights; and, to provide guidance on the protection, care and proper treatment of unaccompanied and separated children based on the entire legal framework provided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
