____UNHCR · THE WAY FORWARD
/Concept & Editorial Design
Background
The Way Forward to Strengthened Policies and Practices for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Europe
Regional and national laws in Europe have not systematically translated into a positive impact on the wellbeing of refugee and migrant children. Instead, children, state institutions, and non-governmental actors often find themselves confronted with complex, confusing, costly, and bureaucratic procedures which do not adequately take into account the best interests of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC).
UNHCR, UNICEF, and IRC established a consultative process to support states to better operationalise their response for the protection of UASC in Europe — the Roadmap to Strengthened Policies and Practices. The process included three consultations with around 100 practitioners (guardians, psychologists, social workers, lawyers, teachers and others) from nearly all European countries involved in the current refugee and migrant crisis a roundtable with nine European states, consultation with European Union (EU) level actors, and last but not least individual or group discussions with over 50 UASC living in Europe.
The consultative process produced concrete recommendations on a way forward, for efficient, lean, and harmonized processes which ensure children are protected and can access procedures and solutions in accordance with their best interests.
Reports of this kind have the power to influence a myriad of lives and their trajectories. For me, these are the most important works in which my creative skills can help to give expression to unheard voices and tell the stories of people who are the real essence behind all the data, facts and figures. I have therefore supplemented the research information in each section with the voices and self-drawn pictures of the children themselves. Their quotes and drawings stand on equal footing with the results of the consultative process.