A CHILD IS A CHILD – PROTECTING CHILDREN ON THE MOVE FROM VIOLENCE, ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION
The Convention on the Rights of the Child protects every child,
Everywhere. All children, regardless of legal status, nationality or
Statelessness, have the right to be protected from harm, obtain such
Essential services as health care and education, be with their families,
And have their best interests guide decisions that affect them.
END THE DETENTION OF REFUGEE AND MIGRANT CHILDREN BY CREATING PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVES
Detention is harmful to children’s health and well-being – and can undermine their development. UNICEF calls for practical alternatives to detention for all children. Unaccompanied and separated children should be placed in foster care, supervised independent living, or other family- or community-based living arrangements. Children should not be detained in adult facilities.
PROTECT UPROOTED CHILDREN FROM EXPLOITATION AND VIOLENCE
Many refugee and migrant children miss out on an education – and many lack access to health care and other essential services. UNICEF calls for increased collective effort by governments, communities and the private sector to provide uprooted children with access to an education and health services, and to shelter, nutrition, water and sanitation. A child’s migration status should never be a barrier to accessing basic services.
IT IS NOW TIME TO ACT.
Children’s rights are not confined by national borders. Where conflict
or disaster, neglect, abuse or marginalization drive children to move,
their rights move with them. Leadership is urgently required to forge
global agreement on how to protect and guarantee the rights of
children as they move, no matter who or where they are.
