A/72/53/Add.1 Reaffirming that the general principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, including the best interests of the child, non-discrimination, participation, survival and development, provide the framework for all actions concerning children and should guide legislation, policies and practices relating to children, regardless of their status, including in the context of migration, Recalling the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants, in which the General Assembly recognized the importance of cooperation among countries of origin, transit and destination in ensuring that any type of return, whether voluntary or otherwise, must be consistent with States’ obligations under international human rights law and in compliance with the principle of non-refoulement and should respect the rules of international law, and must in addition be conducted in keeping with the best interests of children and with due process, while special attention should be paid to the needs of migrants in vulnerable situations who return, such as unaccompanied or separated children, Recognizing that, for the full and harmonious development of a child’s personality, he or she should grow up in a family environment and in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding, and, therefore, that States of origin, destination and, where appropriate, transit should, as applicable under national law, facilitate family reunification as an important objective in order to promote the welfare and the best interests of migrant children, including adolescents, Welcoming immigration programmes, adopted by some countries, that allow migrants to integrate fully into their host countries, facilitate family reunification and promote a harmonious, tolerant and respectful environment, while encouraging States to consider the possibility of adopting such programmes, Recognizing that discussions on the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration are an important opportunity to address the issue of unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, 1. Reaffirms that States, in accordance with their obligations under international law, are responsible for promoting and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, regardless of their migration status, and that all migrant children, within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction, are entitled to equal protection under the law, and calls upon States to fully respect their rights, without discrimination of any kind, taking into consideration that they are children first and foremost; 2. Urges States to give primary consideration at all times to the best interests of the child, particularly with regard to children in transit or crossing borders, and when formulating policies on integration, return or family reunification, to carry out individualized, comprehensive best-interest assessments to identify the protection needs of migrant children and adolescents, particularly unaccompanied and separated children, and to carry out early and prompt assessments of victims of violence, exploitation and abuse who may qualify for refugee status or other forms of protection; 3. Calls upon States to ensure appropriate, integrated and gender-sensitive child protection care and services for all unaccompanied and separated migrant children and adolescents starting from the time of their arrival, in accordance with relevant international legal frameworks, taking into account the principle of the best interests of the child and the special needs of unaccompanied migrant children and those separated from their families, to protect them against all forms of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence and to work to provide for their health, education and psychosocial development in a manner that is ageand gender-sensitive and that ensures a continuum of protection throughout the migration cycle and across transnational borders; 4. Also calls upon States to promote and protect effectively the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants, especially unaccompanied migrant children and adolescents, regardless of their migration status, and to address international migration through international, regional or bilateral cooperation and dialogue and a comprehensive and balanced approach, recognizing the roles and responsibilities of countries of origin, transit and destination in promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants and avoiding approaches that might aggravate their vulnerability; 5. Encourages States to prevent the separation of migrant children and adolescents from their families, to establish effective systems in conformity with their GE.17-18194 15