15/04/2011 Session
PACE has called on Council of Europe governments to adopt 15 guiding principles for treating unaccompanied children arriving at their borders – mainly boys of 14 to 17 who are escaping war, violence or extreme poverty. In a resolution approved today, based on a report by Mailis Reps (Estonia, ALDE), the parliamentarians said such children should never be refused entry, deported or held in detention, and should receive special assistance commensurate with their age, including a guardian and foster care if necessary, until a durable solution can be found for them. “Child protection rather than immigration control should be the driving concern in how countries engage with unaccompanied children,” the Assembly said.