Recently the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Juan E. Méndez, has found that the immigration detention of children is not only a violation of child rights, but also rises to the level of “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” in violation of the international prohibition on torture. IDC members know that immigration detention of children remains an issue in many countries across Africa, and this year plan to scale up advocacy around preventing practices that lead to detention of children for immigration related reasons.
In South Africa, Uganda and Kenya, IDC members are working together to engage key stakeholders, including government, to develop and implement alternative measures which will ensure children are not detained. Regionally, IDC members are strategizing how best to raise general awareness about the incidence of immigration detention of children and the negative impact any form of detention, even if only for a short period, has on children.
If you are living and or working in Africa and interested in getting involved in activities in your country or at a regional level, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]
Finally, this month we introduce a new Africa Regional Coordinator, Junita Calder. Junita takes over from Lucy Bowring, who remains with the IDC as the Capacity Building Coordinator.