No compromises of the EU at the expense of the rights of refugees
Osnabrück, June 6, 2023- terre des hommes and 45 other child and human rights organizations as well as local associations and psychosocial centers, the Federal Government calls on in a joint appeal to face the common European asylum system at the upcoming meetings of the EU Interior Minister on June 8, as this endangers the rights and probably refugee children and adolescents.
"About 30 years ago, the German Bundestag was decided to cut asylum in the Basic Law, the 1993 asylum compromise. Today, the Federal Government is faced with a similarly deep cut into European asylum law," said Sophia Eckert, legal and migration expert at terre des hommes . »The reform plans currently negotiated to the common European asylum system are a sale of human rights for refugees in the EU. But they are also a sale of children's rights, because they are blatantly violating the requirements from the UN Convention on the Rights of Children, which are also part of our European fundamental rights. «
According to the plans that are currently discussed at the level of the Council of the Council of the EU Minister of the Interior, refugee children and adolescents would also be affected by detention or adhesive-like accommodation at the European external borders. This violates the right to protection against torture and deprivation of liberty in the Child Rights Convention and can have serious consequences for the health and development of children and adolescents. »In numerous studies , the harmful effects of migration on children were occupied. These include depression, post -traumatic stress disorders, anxiety and symptoms such as insomnia, nightmares and bedwetting. Feelings of hopelessness and frustration can also lead to self and external injury, «says Eckert. »It does not matter whether the accommodation is officially called or not. A massive restriction of freedom of movement, barbed wire fences and armed security forces mean for children that they are detained. Such accommodation violates its rights. ”The alliance therefore calls on the federal government to remain loyal priority paper for the reform of the common European asylum system of April 26
The change in the legal framework to the European asylum system would in all likelihood also lead to refugee children and adolescents can no longer defend themselves against incorrect official decisions. "In all procedural steps from registration via the responsibility test until the completion of the border procedure, there is no sufficient possibilities to act effectively against official decisions," said Sophia Eckert. "Children and adolescents, for example, cannot legally defend themselves against incorrect age assessments, especially since age assessments in the border process and using inhumane, unreliable medical methods could be carried out."
Finally, the planned expansion of the concept of the safe third countries threatens massive effects on the protection of asylum seekers in the EU. Because according to the current reform plans, your asylum applications could be rejected without any individual review of your escape reasons, as well as a minimum of protection for you in parts of a non -European country. In the worst case, since this would apply to almost all those who come in the EU, it could mean the final departure from refugee protection in the EU. »Last but not least, children and adolescents who fled their home from their home country to child -specific persecution such as forced marriage or forced recruitment as a child soldier would be left to their fate. We appeal to the Federal Government not to go this way to the disenfranchised children and adolescents in the EU, «said Eckert.
Further information:
Appeal to the Federal Government on its position on the reform of the common European asylum system: No compromises at the expense of refugee protection
The appeal is borne by:
Amadeu Antonio Foundation, Amnesty International Deutschland EV, Working Group on Migration Law in the German Lawyers' Association, AWO Bundesverband EV, Bordermonitoring.eu, Federal Association of Unlegated Minor Refugees - BUMF EV, Nationwide Working Group Psychosocal Centers for Refugees and Torture Sacher - Baff, Baffe Youth Health EV (Bündnis KJG), The Parity General Association, German Society for Systemic Therapy, Consulting and Family Therapy (DGSF eV), German Kinderhilfswerk eV, Diakonie Germany, Discover Football, Ecpat Deutschland EV, Equal Rights Beyond Borders EV, Exil eV, Refugee Council Lower Saxony EV, Forum Human Rights - Network of German Human Rights Organizations, Franco Working group trauma and exile, leisure for young refugees exile eV, grips works eV, IPPNW eV - German section of the international doctors for the contraception of the nuclear war /Ärzt in social responsibility, International Rescue Committee IRC Germany, Jesuit refugee service Germany, Jumen eV - Legal human rights work in Germany children without borders eV, children Children's rights forum (KRF), #Leavenoonebehind, lesbian and gay association (LSVD), Medical Refugee Aid Bochum EV, Mission Lifeline International EV, National Coalition Germany - Network for the implementation of the UN - Child Rights Convention, New Judge Association (NRV), Plan International Deutschland EV, Refugio Thuringia - Psychosocial Center for Refractations and Survivors of Volume, Republican lawyers and lawyers' association EV (RAV), Save the Children Deutschland EV, SOS Kinderdorf EV, terre des hommes Deutschland EV, Binational Families and Partnerships, IAF eV, Wohnschifensprojekt Altona eV, Worldvision Germany EV, Xenion- Psychosocial Aid for politically persecuted EV, Center