Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children: Interrupted Child Development and Unfulfilled Child Rights
Date
2019
Authors
Vaghri, Ziba
Tessier, Zoë
Whalen, Christian
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Children
Abstract
The 21st century phenomenon of “global displacement” is particularly concerning when
it comes to children. Childhood is a critical period of accelerated growth and development.
These processes can be negatively a ected by the many stressors to which refugee and asylum-seeking
children are subjected. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the most
ratified human rights treaty in history, with 196 States Parties (SPs). The CRC provides a framework of
54 articles outlining government responsibilities to ensure the protection, promotion, and fulfillment
of rights of all children within their jurisdictions. Among these are the rights of refugee and
asylum-seeking children, declared under Article 22 of the CRC. Refugee and asylum-seeking children,
similarly to all other children, are entitled to their rights under the CRC and do not forgo any
right by virtue of moving between borders. The hosting governments, as SPs to the CRC, are the
primary duty bearers to fulfill these rights for the children entering their country. This manuscript
provides an overview of the health and developmental ramification of being displaced for refugee and
asylum-seeking children. Then, an in-depth analysis of the provisions under Article 22 is presented
and the responsibilities of SPs under this article are described. The paper provides some international
examples of strengths and shortcomings relating to these responsibilities and closes with a few
concluding remarks and recommendations.
Description
Keywords
Convention on the Rights of the Child, child rights, refugee, asylum-seeking children, child health, child development, Article 22 of the CRC, children on the move
Citation
Vaghri, Z., Tessier, Z. & Whalen, C. (2019). Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Children: Interrupted Child Development and Unfulfilled Child Rights. Children, 6(11), 120. https://doi.org/10.3390/children6110120