According to the most recent report from the British NGO Save the Children, children of refugees and migrants who arrive in Europe are routinely subjected to abuse, violence, detention, illegal pushbacks, and misidentification as adults.
The situation of children travelling with their families, without adult carers, or apart from them was examined by the report’s authors.
The report emphasises how the perception of migration policy as a security policy issue has grown as a result of allegations that certain EU member states are instrumentalising migrants.
“In practice, this has facilitated the implementation of measures that disproportionately impact children, leaving them exposed to harsh conditions and potentially long-lasting harm,” according to the report. For example, Poland had declared a one-year state of emergency along its Belarusian border. The Polish and other EU governments have accused Belarus and Russia on several occasions of launching a hybrid operation to boost the number of migrants reaching their eastern border in an effort to destabilise the bloc.
The report also claims that it is nearly impossible for asylum seekers and their legal representatives to stay current due to the rapidly tightening immigration and asylum laws in Finland, Italy, and Greece. The report also asserted that in the three countries, age checks for children without identity documents are marked by significant irregularities, racial biases, and procedural flaws.
The report also cites allegations of child abuse against staff members of private companies that operate reception facilities on Spain’s Canary Islands.
To help and safeguard kids who are constantly on the go, Save the Children suggested several policies. In order to “reduce risks such as human trafficking, the disappearance of children, and deaths on the escape routes,” among other things, it urged the EU to create more secure and lawful entry points for kids, according to Stein of Save the Children. “For instance, family reunification and humanitarian admission programs can accomplish this.”
In fact, the number of regular routes to the EU is decreasing at the time of this proposal. For example, laws to halt family reunification have recently been introduced in Germany and several other EU nations.
Additionally, Save the Children suggested that border guards receive training on how to engage with children in a compassionate and understanding manner, particularly with girls and those who have been victims of violence.
For productive results, they advise that child assessments take into account the child’s background, development, and health in a kid-friendly environment with knowledgeable professionals.
