Family Reunification and Separated Children: World Visions Response

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Family Reunification and Separated Children
World Visions Response International Refugee
Rights Conference CCR Spring 2006 Consultation
Sara L. Austin Senior Policy Advisor, World
Vision Canada
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• Separated Children
• A separated child is any person under the age of
  18, separated from both parents, or from his/her
  previous legal or customary primary care giver,
  but not necessarily from other relatives.

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• Unaccompanied Children
• An unaccompanied child is any person who is under
  the age of 18, separated from both parents, or
  from his/her previous legal or customary primary
  care giver and also his/her relatives.

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Inter-agency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied
Separated Children

• A Comprehensive Approach
• Preserving Family Unity
• Tracing Family Reunification
• Care Arrangements
• Durable Arrangements
• Special Issues Related to Refugee Children
• Promoting Childrens Rights

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• Key Stages in Family Reunification
• Prevention
• Identification
• Registration
• Documentation
• Tracing
• Verification
• Reunification with family
• Follow-up

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Principles for Determining Care Arrangements

• The Best Interests of the Child
• Right to survival and Development
• Participation of child in all decisions that
  affect their lives
• Non-discrimination
• Strengthen Family Community programmes

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Snapshot Pakistan

• Earthquake occurred while children were in
  school, so many children were separated from
  families during the disaster
• WVs response included such things
• Child protection programmes
• Identification, tracing and reunification of
  separated and unaccompanied children

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Snapshot Northern Uganda

• Since 1985 more than 12,000 children have been
  abducted and forced into combat by the Lord's
  Resistance Army (LRA)
• As many as 40,000 children commute from rural
  villages every night on foot, seeking refuge to
  avoid abduction by the LRA.
• WVs response includes
• a center for former child soldiers with care and
  rehabilitation services, and are then
  reintegrated with their families
• shelter and care for the Night Commuters

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Snapshot Cambodia

• In Cambodia, thousands of children are trafficked
  internally and across borders for the purpose of
  commercial sexual exploitation
• WVs response includes
• Deterring child-sex tourists through media
  campaigns
• Promoting law enforcement
• Prevention programmes in rural communities
• Rehabilitation for children who have been
  exploited
• Reintegration with families

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Snapshot Canada

• In Canada, there is no national policy for the
  protection of the rights of separated and
  unaccompanied children.
• WVs response includes
• Participation in an advisory group to Citizenship
  and Immigration Canada
• Advocating before the Committee on the Rights of
  the Child in Geneva
• Advocating with other NGOs and the UNHCR
• Providing support through our Refugee Reception
  Centre