A/HRC/19/63
5.
Specific areas of concern
(a)
Identification and registration
106. As part of rapid child protection needs and capacity assessments,
unaccompanied and separated children should be identified, registered and
documented within 72 hours of a natural disaster. This should be done in accordance
with an accepted means of data collection which ensures ease of sharing and upholds
the principle of confidentiality to protect the identity of the child.
107. Personal identity documentation should be provided as soon as possible; a new
identity should only be established as a last resort.73 Where possible, the
internationally agreed full registration form (long form) should be used in the initial
stage of the report.
108. Where time and/or resources are limited, the internationally agreed rapid
registration form (short form) may be used to register each child. 74 The forms can be
adapted to the local context once response coordination is underway.
109. Efforts should be undertaken to accurately record the basic details of a child’s
identity, including the name of the child and her/his parents, details of their residence
and community, the date of evacuation, and to whom the child was entrusted for
care.75 Each child should receive a copy of his/her file which should stay on their
person and should include travel documents. Each child should have a name tag
pinned to his/her clothing which also indicates the name of the child’s community of
origin. When possible, a photograph of the child should be taken and included in the
files. Copies of files should be given to parents, national authorities, the organization
responsible for evacuation (if necessary) and a neutral monitoring agency, such as the
ICRC’s Central Tracing Agency.
110. Steps should be taken to avoid over-registration, while focusing on the most
vulnerable children and urgent cases, such as very young children or children who are
unable to identify themselves.
111. International guidelines regarding the sharing and publication of information
must be respected and adequate safeguards should be integrated to protect the
identity and privacy of children from possible misuse or exploitation.
112. Qualified professionals should be in place to early identify actual or potential
child victims of sale, prostitution and pornography.
(b)
Safe and temporary evacuation
113. Transport and travel of children, both in and out of country, including by State
actors, should be limited to reduce the risk of a child being abducted, trafficked or
untraceable. When evacuation is deemed necessary, strict procedural steps must be
followed to ensure their identification, registration, location and care arrangements.
114. When possible, children should be evacuated from their place of residence with
adult family members. Separation should be undertaken as a last resort, on a
73
74
75
20
The Inter-Agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children (see footnote 26)
indicates that clear information about the objectives of registration must be clearly communicated to
the local population. The criteria as to which children should be documented must be made clear to all
relevant actors and stakeholders.
CPWG Task Force, “Draft child protection minimum standards,” 2011, p. 46.
Ibid.
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