On 8 October 2019, the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, a document of unprecedented reach, was presented at the UN General Assembly by the independent expert, Manfred Nowak. Terre des hommes (Tdh) actively contributed by collecting children’s views to include in the report.

Between 1.3 and 1.5 million children are detained worldwide! Depriving children of liberty has long-lasting negative consequences on their development and their future. No kind of detention is in the best interest of the child. Behind bars, they are locked up in isolated and dark places. There, their rights are often violated. They face a high risk of violence, rape, sexual assault, torture, or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Sometimes they are placed in cells with adults; another violation of their rights.

Ensuring that Children’s Voices are Heard

Children deprived of liberty remain forgotten. Their voices are lost before reaching the public. The Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty puts a spotlight on this harsh and often invisible reality. Tdh recognised this study as an opportunity to ensure that children’s right to be heard is upheld, and that their opinion is taken into account. To that end, Tdh and their academic partners, interviewed more than 270 children from 20 countries to ask for their input and give them a voice. Most of these children are beneficiaries of our long-standing activities directly supporting children deprived of liberty.

These children felt that their rights are not protected; they have been detained in poor conditions, denied access to information, received poor healthcare and inadequate access to education or leisure. Many of them experienced barriers in contacting their families, and struggled to access support for reintegration. They reported struggling to be heard in decisions made about them. Children deprived of liberty experience fear, isolation, trauma and harm, in addition to discrimination, stigma and disempowerment. But they also shared experiences of resilience and hope by highlighting the importance of friendships with peers and adults whom they could trust. Many children had positive aspirations for a future beyond detention, where they would reunite with their families and friends and enjoy life as independent human beings contributing to their communities. They saw education and skills development as integral to achieving a better life.

Kristen Hope, Tdh research and advocacy coordinator explains: ‘Our focus is always to listen to children. They are experts of their own experiences. Their views and perspectives should be taken into consideration in decisions about their lives, as well as in broader policymaking. This is why Tdh works at both the micro and macro level to ensure that the right of all children to be heard is fulfilled, especially the most vulnerable.’

Recommendations

As a result, the study recommends, among others, that:

  • States should reduce child detention to an absolute minimum and make alternatives to detention available.
  • Children should be given access to a justice that is adapted to their needs.
  • No child should be submitted to torture, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.
  • Each child must be treated with respect, and should be able to contact his/her family and receive juridical assistance.
  • Migration is never a reason to detain children.

‘Many people thought it was impossible to meaningfully and ethically involve children in global research of this scale, but we did it. The results show the importance of having children’s voices included, and reminds us that, with support, they too can be agents of change,’ Kristen adds. We will continue the fight for a world where children are free, and we will build this world alongside children. 

Read the General Assembly Report

Watch the Tdh video bringing children's voices to the world.

 

http://vimeo.com/360556044

Childhub

You might like..

yes
0
81
Between 1.3 and 1.5 million children are deprived of liberty worldwide, according to a new UN report. For this study, the children's aid organisation Terre des hommes collected testimonies from 274 children and adolescents. The majority of them have…
0
40
This report was issued by the People’s Advocate in collaboration with the Observatory for Children’s Rights. UNICEF Albania Office partnered with the Child Rights Observatory to implement the “Strengthening the capacity of the People’s Advocate to…
yes
0
622
On Thursday, 14 April 2022, from 10.00 to 16.00, (9.00 – 15.00 CET), professionals, trainers, mentors, decision making factors will meet online within the International Conference of PRECISION project – “Promote Rehabilitation, Empowerment of…
0
13
The Global Forum on Justice for Children and Deprivation of Liberty, held in Nouakchott, Mauritania, on 8-9 November 2022, took stock of the work achieved by the NGO Panel on Children Deprived of Liberty since the publication of the…
0
68
The many environmental and other protests this year by youth demonstrates that they have a voice, and urgenly reminds us to listen to them. Children and adolescents must also be looked after, esecially those whose rights are taken away; …
0
28
About the webinar: Around the world, an unknown number of children are deprived of their liberty every year. Such detention often occurs in squalid conditions, without adequate oversight and regulation, negatively impacting children’s mental and…
0
8
DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY IS DEPRIVATION OF CHILDHOOD Online expert roundtable at the European Parliament, Wednesday 8 July, 1.30 PM to 3 PM Saskia Bricmont, co-chair of the European Parliament Intergroup on the Rights of the Child, together with…
0
4
This guide for parliamentarians was prepared by the Council of Europe’s Children’s Right’s Division aiming to help Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s Campaign to end immigration detention of children. This guide is based on an…
0
72
Adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/113 of 14 December 1990 
0
24
The European Forum on the rights of the child is an annual conference organised by the European Commission. It gathers key actors from EU Member States (as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and the Western Balkans), international…
no
0
41
The Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty was published three years ago. It promoted the best interest of children living in prisons, institutions, in armed conflict or migrating.  It estimated that roughly 7.2 million children are…
0
6
The Council of Europe has recognized the detention of migrant and refugee children as a harmful practice that violates the rights of detainees. In the 2016–2021 Strategy for the Rights of the Child, the Children’s Rights division of the Council of…
yes
0
167
Terre des hommes Kosovo addressed a public letter to the Minister of Justice, Ms. Albulena Haxhiu, requesting the release of all children deprived of liberty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Terre des hommes is calling on the Ministry of Justice and…
0
2
The Children and Young People’s Panel on Europe, initiated by Eurochild members, Children in Scotland and independently led by the charity in partnership with Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights), will also develop resources to…
0
12
At the end of January 2020, the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus outbreak a Public Health emergency of International Concern. Four months later, as governments across the world attempt to get things back to normal, adopt measures…