Thailand: A legal status for refugee children
In northern Thailand, Terre des Hommes supports refugee children and relatives of indigenous minorities. They are stateless: they are often denied fundamental rights themselves. The situation only improves gradually and thanks to persistent work.
Between one and two million people in Thailand are stateless. In the north, in the province of Mae Hong Son, there are far more than half of the population. It is difficult for a simple reason to appreciate their exact number: they do not exist on paper.
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Many are relatives of indigenous mountain peoples such as the Meo, the Karen, Lahu, Akha, Yao or Lisu, which were populated by generations ago. Others are children of refugees. Anyone who escapes across the border before the military dictatorship in Myanmar is often not registered. Children of refugee families who were born in Thai territory are not recognized by any government.
Although stateless children also have rights. And the Thai government recognizes this: They have the right to go to school, to be cared for in hospitals and to contact state courts. However, stateless children are often discriminated against by authorities. And there are people who take advantage of their situation. Some corrupt officials double the fee, which is due for a hospital visit. Families get involved in the black market on credit sharks, for example to pay school fees.
At the end of the year, stateless children often do not receive their graduation certificate, which would be so important for scholarships and career opportunities. "As a stateless person, it often feels as if everything works against you," Som recalls, who grew up as a child of Myanmarian refugees.
The problem is also the legal uncertainty of stateless families. Many do not know how to defend themselves against violations of the law, and there is also no confidence in the state. This is exactly where many projects supported by Terre des Hommes: In the Development Center for Children and Community Network (DCCN), for example, children learn what children and human rights mean for them. That gives security and strengthens you confidence. And they learn to organize themselves: in networks such as the “Salween Youth Network” and the “Mekong Youth Assembly”, which have long been working politically to improve the right -wing children.
Slowly but steadily, successes stand up. The Thai state is now expanding the infrastructure in the remote project regions. Young refugees, migrants and stateless lives less. Legal advice is built up, authorities are sensitized and trained. And a total of more than 32,000 children and adolescents have now gained a legal status or even Thai citizenship through the work of Terre des Hommes and partner organizations such as DCCN.
They are now role models for their communities. Many take responsibility themselves to pass on their experiences and to support stateless children.
