There has been a six-fold increase in the total number of child asylum applicants in the EU in the last six years. The European Commission published policy guidance on the protection of children in migration (pdf) in April 2017.
The Commission advocates:
- Action to address root causes and protect children along migratory routes
- Swift and comprehensive identification and protection of children
- Adequate reception conditions in Member States
- Procedural safeguards, and swift access to status determination procedures
- An emphasis on long-term solutions, such as early integration, education and psychosocial support
- Respect and guarantees for the best interests of the child
Unicef and the UN Refugee Agency welcomed the guidance. Noala Skinner, Director of UNICEF’s Brussels Office said:
“It is the first EU policy to address the situation and rights of all children in migration – refugee and migrant children, children alone and with their families – linking migration, asylum and child protection.”
