A/HRC/36/51
protection and integral development of children, coordinates and oversees the operation of
the strategy for prevention and treatment of unaccompanied migrant children.
102. Some European countries are implementing a well-defined reception system,
organized in highly specialized structures and special facilities. For instance, the Danish
Immigration Service has two teams which specialize in interviewing unaccompanied
children. Migrant children in Spain, whether accompanied or not, have a regime that
requires the administration to consider the best interests of the child in all proceedings
affecting him or her.
103. The youth care system is a network of organizations following the structure of the
regional authorities in Belgium, although it is a private system. Through this organization,
NGOs set up services themselves, but they are recognized and funded by the Government.
All children, regardless of their age and the phase of the reception process, can be referred
to the youth care services at any time, provided that they have “special needs” which are
recognized by the authorities.
104. In El Salvador, there is an official mechanism for interaction with children in order
to take their views into consideration. Additionally, the specialized staff of the National
Council for Children and Adolescents deal with child returnees at the reception stage and
conduct interviews to determine their views, problems and needs. 82
105. In Italy, humanitarian visas are now being provided for vulnerable children who do
not receive refugee status. These humanitarian visas are authorized under Italian law.
106. In Greece, new policy and legislative measures allow access to education for 80,000
refugee and migrant children. More than 250,000 child-friendly accommodation places
have been established, and new school and educational facilities have been created to
provide unaccompanied children and adolescents with education in their mother tongue. 83
IX. Recommendations
107. From the perspective of human rights, countries of origin, transit and
destination all have the same responsibilities for the protection of unaccompanied
migrant children. The human rights of children have neither nationality nor borders.
Migration and violence against children are closely interrelated and are often part of
a continuum, starting in the country of origin and continuing in transit and
destination countries.
108. The Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against
Children has emphasized the worrying link between migration and violence,
described in the present report. Therefore, States are urged to respond in a preventive
and effective manner to the various forms of violence to which migrant children are
exposed, especially when travelling alone. It is urgent to ensure that there is no
impunity for these acts of violence that violate international treaties.
109. The Advisory Committee recommends that States of origin should reinforce
their legislative, administrative, budgetary and political efforts to give full priority to
fulfilling the rights of their children, since the lack of fulfilment of basic needs, such as
food, education, training for work and special protection against all forms of violence
and discrimination, is the basic reason for children’s decisions to abandon their own
country. The commitments made by States to guarantee the human rights of their
children must be accompanied by a real and sufficient budget and, above all, by
increased investment in high-quality education and support for families who are
raising their children in unfavourable conditions. Local, national, regional and
international protection systems should be revised and strengthened. In most cases,
82
83
Source: El Salvador replies to Advisory Committee questionnaire on unaccompanied migrant children
and human rights.
Source: Information provided by a representative of Greece to the Advisory Committee, 21 February
2017.
17
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