PICUM » Our work » Themes » Undocumented Children
Undocumented Children
Keywords: National migration policies, Undocumented Children, Social Inclusion
In many countries in Europe, undocumented migrants are excluded from basic social services that help to meet a decent standard of living in the areas of health care, housing, and education. This is especially the case for children, who are vulnerable to exploitation and discrimination-based violence: undocumented children are in some countries refused access to schools; in other countries the foreigners’ police use the educational system to detect undocumented migrants through their children; and undocumented children are increasingly being detained.
PICUM Projects on undocumented children
'Building Strategies to Improve the Protection of Undocumented Children in Europe'
March 2011 - March 2013
In March 2011, PICUM began a new 2-year project, co-funded by the European Commission Daphne III Programme, entitled “Building Strategies to Improve the Protection of Undocumented Children in Europe”. The project builds on the key findings of previous research (see project below) and aims to devise concrete solutions to a range of challenges children in an irregular migration situation face in accessing their fundamental rights to education, healthcare and housing.
Read more on the project page.
'Fighting discrimination-based violence against undocumented children in Europe'
February 2007 - January 2009
Co-financed by the DAPHNE Programme under the Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security of the European Commission, this project aimed at fighting discrimination-based violence against undocumented children in Europe by developing the capacity of concerned partners to protect undocumented children from discrimination in gaining access to housing, education and health care.
The project focused on discrimination-based violence against undocumented children in the area of health care, housing, and education in nine EU member states: Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the UK.
PROJECT REPORT:
Undocumented Children: Invisible Victims of Immigration Control
This report is specifically focused on the discrimination that undocumented children might face in accessing their basic social rights in the areas of education, healthcare and housing.The legislative background and main practical barriers in terms of access to education, health care and housing in nine European countries are analysed.
With this report, PICUM aims to raise awareness about the situation of undocumented children in Europea nd support exchange amongst NGOs and other civil society actors working to defend these children’s rights.
