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Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 40
- Paragraph text
- Migrant children are sometimes detained together with their parents when the latter are found to be in an irregular situation, justified on the basis of maintaining family unity. Not only may this violate the principle of the best interests of the child and the right of the child to be detained only as a measure of last resort, but it may also violate their right not be punished for the acts of their parents (art. 2, para. 2). This does not mean that the best interests of the child are served through splitting up the family by detaining the parents and transferring their children to the alternative-care system. The detention of their parents has a detrimental effect on children, and may violate children's right not to be separated from their parents against their will, as well as the right to protection of the family set forward in article 23 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and article 10 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. A decision to detain migrants who are accompanied by their children should therefore only be taken in very exceptional circumstances. States must carefully evaluate the need for detention in these cases, and rather preserve the family unit by applying alternatives to detention to the entire family.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. Indicator (f)
- Paragraph text
- [End the use of detention as a border management and deterrence tool against migrants] All forms of detention of migrant children and their families on the basis of their immigration status or that of their parents are abolished;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The human rights of migrants on a 2035 agenda for facilitating human mobility 2017, para. Target 4.3.
- Paragraph text
- [End the use of detention as a border management and deterrence tool against migrants] Expeditiously and completely end the immigration detention of children and their families, and protect the rights, dignity, welfare and best interests of migrant children in all cases
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2017
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 93e
- Paragraph text
- [To address the structural impact of international trade on the human rights of migrants, the Special Rapporteur recommends that States:] Ensure that child-specific considerations are adequately integrated into the development of such human rights impact assessments so that the impact of trade agreements on the human rights of migrant children are identified and effectively mitigated;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Economic Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
The impact of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements on the human rights of migrants 2016, para. 51
- Paragraph text
- Given the endemic power imbalances in the trade regime, it is not surprising that Governments have rarely brought forward labour cases in the context of trade and may even challenge them. The majority of cases end up stalled in administrative channels created under the trade terms. Very rarely, other outreach solutions have been identified to remedy violations of migrants' rights. NAFTA has an advanced dispute settlement mechanism, but the remedies available are illusory and beg the question of enforceability, since the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation (NAALC), an accord parallel to NAFTA, only provides for binding remedies where an arbitral panel finds a violation relating to child labour, occupational health and safety, or minimum wages. Penalties are not imposed for labour standards violations and complaints rarely advance beyond the national administrative offices established to monitor NAFTA. In the so-called "Washington State apples case" (1998), when Mexican workers filed a complaint under NAALC alleging violations of their rights to unionize and bargain collectively, to protection from discrimination and to health and safety, and alleging that employers used threats and intimidation, the Washington State authorities established a complaints hotline in Spanish, produced Spanish-language information materials and recruited additional Spanish-speaking staff in the agriculture sector.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 95
- Paragraph text
- Many rights-based alternatives to detention exist. A number of countries have moved towards open reception facilities, particularly for vulnerable migrants such as unaccompanied minors and families. However, prolonged immigration detention and its associated negative human rights consequences continue in many countries.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Of particular concern is the frequent presence of children in detention. Children are usually afforded additional protections by States and, according to many national policies, should not be detained. However, the Special Rapporteur has witnessed detained children in all the countries he has visited, some of which have absurdly justified such detention by calling it protective custody.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 46f
- Paragraph text
- [Human rights must be a cross-cutting issue that informs all discussions at the High-level Dialogue, and, as outlined in the 2013 report of the Special Rapporteur (see A/68/283), States should consider raising issues such as:] Effective protection of the human rights of vulnerable groups, such as unaccompanied children, families with children, persons with disabilities and elderly migrants;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 46b
- Paragraph text
- [Human rights must be a cross-cutting issue that informs all discussions at the High-level Dialogue, and, as outlined in the 2013 report of the Special Rapporteur (see A/68/283), States should consider raising issues such as:] Development and implementation of rights-based alternatives to detention, especially for children and families with children;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Banking on mobility over a generation: follow-up to the regional study on the management of the external borders of the European Union and its impact on the human rights of migrants 2015, para. 44
- Paragraph text
- Of particular concern is the inclusion of children among detainees. Children are usually afforded additional protections by member States and, according to many national policies, are not supposed to be detained. However, if the age of the child is unknown, which is common among those without documents or coming from countries that do not have robust birth registration systems, they can be detained or kept in reception centres until their age can be verified. This can take weeks or months. In some instances, while in detention, children live and sleep with adults, without any special accommodation made for their young age and without access to education. In others, families are separated in different sections of the detention facility according to age and gender. The detention of children, even for short periods, can have severe negative psychological effects. It has been made clear by the Committee on the Rights of the Child that immigration detention is never ever in the best interest of the child and that families of migrants should not be separated. Hence, unaccompanied minors and families with children should always benefit from alternatives to detention.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2015
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Labour exploitation of migrants 2014, para. 28
- Paragraph text
- Article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and hazardous and harmful work, and requires States to specify a minimum age for admission to employment. The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography prohibits the sale of children, including for the purpose of engagement of the child in forced labour.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2014
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional study: management of the European Union external border and the impact on the human rights of migrants 2013, para. 92
- Paragraph text
- Promote viable alternatives to detention, and not insist on further entrenching detention as a migration control mechanism through support for expanded networks of detention centres. Detention should always be a measure of last resort, and children should never be detained.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Global migration governance 2013, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime contains rules concerning the prevention of trafficking, as well as assistance to and protection of victims of trafficking. It also provides that States should consider permitting victims of trafficking to remain in their territory, temporarily or permanently, in appropriate cases.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Women
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 72h
- Paragraph text
- [The Special Rapporteur calls on States to consider progressively abolishing the administrative detention of migrants. In the meantime, Governments should take measures to ensure respect for the human rights of migrants in the context of detention, including by:] Ensuring that legislation does not allow for the detention of unaccompanied children and that detention of children is permitted only as a measure of last resort and only when it has been determined to be in the best interest of the child, for the shortest appropriate period of time and in conditions that ensure the realization of the rights enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Children under administrative detention should be separated from adults, unless they can be housed with relatives in separate settings. Children should be provided with adequate food, bedding and medical assistance and granted access to education and to open air recreational activities. When migrant children are detained, the United Nations Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice should be strictly adhered to. The detention of children whose parents are detained should not be justified on the basis of maintaining the family unit: instead, alternatives to detention should be applied to the entire family;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 53
- Paragraph text
- In the Special Rapporteur's view, the obligation to always consider alternatives to detention (non-custodial measures) before resorting to detention should be established by law. Detailed guidelines and proper training should be developed for judges and other State officials, such as police, border and immigration officers, in order to ensure a systematic application of non-custodial measures instead of detention. Non-custodial measures should be subject to legal review, and migrants who are subject to non-custodial measures should have access to legal counsel. When considering alternatives to detention, States must take full account of individual circumstances and those with particular vulnerabilities, including pregnant women, children, victims of trafficking, victims of torture, older persons and persons with disabilities. The least intrusive and restrictive measure possible in the individual case should be applied. Legislation should establish a sliding scale of measures from least to most restrictive, allowing for an analysis of proportionality and necessity for every measure. Some non-custodial measures may be so restrictive, either by themselves or in combination with other measures, that they amount to alternative forms of detention, instead of alternatives to detention. When considering whether the measures applied amount to detention, the cumulative impact of the restrictions as well as the degree and intensity of each of them should also be assessed.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Older persons
- Persons on the move
- Persons with disabilities
- Women
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 41
- Paragraph text
- Children can also make migratory journeys on their own, sometimes having been separated from their parents or other adult relatives. These unaccompanied or separated children are vulnerable to becoming victims of human rights violations, such as sexual and economic exploitation and trafficking, and their situation requires special attention. In its general comment No. 6 (2005) on treatment of unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin, the Committee on the Rights of the Child stated that unaccompanied and separated children should not, as a general rule, be detained, and detention cannot be justified solely on the basis of their migratory or residence status, or lack thereof, nor should they be criminalized solely for reasons of irregular entry or presence in the country. The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has stated that, given the availability of alternatives to detention, it is difficult to conceive of a situation in which the detention of an unaccompanied minor would comply with the requirements stipulated in article 37 (b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (A/HRC/13/30, para. 60). States should instead appoint a guardian or adviser as soon as the unaccompanied or separated child is identified and maintain such guardianship arrangements until the child has either reached the age of majority or has permanently left the territory and/or jurisdiction of the State.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Detention of migrants in an irregular situation 2012, para. 38
- Paragraph text
- Children in immigration detention will often be traumatized and have difficulty understanding why they are being "punished" despite having committed no crime. According to article 37 (b) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, no child shall be deprived of his or her liberty unlawfully or arbitrarily. The arrest, detention or imprisonment of a child shall be in conformity with the law and shall be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period of time. Article 37 (c) states that every child deprived of liberty shall be treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, and in a manner which takes into account the needs of persons of his or her age. In particular, every child deprived of liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interest not to do so and shall have the right to maintain contact with his or her family through correspondence and visits, save in exceptional circumstances. Article 37 (d) provides that every child deprived of his or her liberty shall have the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the deprivation of his or her liberty before a court or other competent, independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action. Children deprived of their liberty also have a right to appropriate medical treatment (art. 24), education (art. 28) and recreation and play (art. 31).
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2012
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Irregular migration and criminalization of migrants, protection of children in the migration process and the right to housing and health of migrants 2011, para. 34
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur focused on the enjoyment of rights to health and to adequate housing for migrants. He recalled the applicable international legal framework and discussed the main challenges encountered by migrants in the enjoyment of these rights, with particular attention to the situations of migrant women and girls and children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Health
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Girls
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2011
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 102
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur encourages the conclusion of bilateral and multilateral agreements based on existing international human rights norms and standards and increased cooperation at the regional level to protect migrant children, especially those unaccompanied, including in matters of safe repatriation, the fight against trafficking, sexual exploitation and smuggling and assistance to victims.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 101b
- Paragraph text
- [Detention of children should be a measure of last resort and should be for the shortest period of time possible. The deprivation of liberty of children in the context of migration should never have a punitive nature, accordingly:] States should bear in mind that children should be kept separate from non-related adults; if housed with families, they should have accommodation distinct from other adults.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 100
- Paragraph text
- States should ensure the protection of the child in all migration-related circumstances regardless of his or her individual or family immigration status and take the best interest of the child as a primary consideration in all migration-related initiatives and actions concerning children at all levels.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- States should provide alternatives to detention for family groups when parents are detained on the sole basis of migratory status, keeping in mind the necessary balance between the need to protect family unity and the best interests of the child. In all decisions concerning children, the best interests of the child should be the primary consideration.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Environment
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 81
- Paragraph text
- The detention of children and adolescents through border control measures, such as interception at sea, should be addressed through a child protection approach. Similarly, migration authorities responsible for the mistreatment of children should be held fully accountable.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 77c
- Paragraph text
- [States are particularly encouraged to:] Consider creating regularization options for persons who may not fall under the international refugee regime but who may need to have their human rights protected and consider granting legal residence to children and adolescent victims of abuse and exploitation as a durable solution, in line with the best interests of the child;
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Violence
- Person(s) affected
- Adolescents
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 69
- Paragraph text
- States should effectively promote and protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, especially the rights of women and children, regardless of their immigration status, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations and international human rights law and standards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Equality & Inclusion
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Women
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Impact of the criminalization of migration on the protection and enjoyment of human rights 2010, para. 64
- Paragraph text
- The Special Rapporteur also welcomes the adoption of legislation in Panama (Migration Law No. 3, February 2008, article 93), which explicitly proscribes the detention of children. These examples illustrate that States alone or in cooperation with other stakeholders may successfully resort to alternatives to the criminalization of irregular migration or align their laws with international law and human rights standards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2010
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 93
- Paragraph text
- When the age of the child is unknown, which is common when they are undocumented or coming from countries without robust birth registration systems, they are often detained until their age can be verified, which can take weeks or months. In some instances, while in detention, unaccompanied children live and sleep alongside adults, without any special accommodation made for their young age and without access to education. In others, families are separated in different sections of the detention facility according to age and gender.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Civil & Political Rights
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional study: management of the European Union external border and the impact on the human rights of migrants 2013, para. 48
- Paragraph text
- It should of course be noted that, in fact, the Return Directive stipulates that detention should be a measure of last resort. Yet, in practice, few viable alternatives to detention appear to be explored by the European Union institutionally and by European Union member States individually. In the countries visited the Special Rapporteur witnessed an almost complete absence of readily implementable wide-scale alternatives to detention, including for children.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Developing the Global Compact on Migration 2016, para. 123j
- Paragraph text
- [The global compact should:] Ensure that the detention of migrants is always a measure of last resort, permissible only when reasonable, necessary and proportionate, decided on a case-by-case basis, and enforced for the shortest possible period of time; develop rights-based alternatives to detention for most cases; and ensure that migrant children and families with children are never, ever, detained for reasons relating to their administrative immigration status.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Movement
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Families
- Persons on the move
- Year
- 2016
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph
Regional study: management of the European Union external border and the impact on the human rights of migrants 2013, para. 77
- Paragraph text
- For example, the Special Rapporteur repeatedly witnessed inadequate procedures for detention, including the failure to respect legal, procedural and substantive guarantees, the detention of persons without prospect of removal, the detention of children, and an absence of alternatives to detention. Similarly, return procedures, particularly when facilitated through readmissions agreements, failed to provide the necessary safeguards.
- Body
- Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants
- Document type
- Special Procedures' report
- Topic(s)
- Governance & Rule of Law
- Person(s) affected
- Children
- Year
- 2013
- Date added
- Aug 19, 2019
Paragraph