Written by Paloma Varela as part of her internship with the International Detention Coalition
GENEVA, CH (8 March 2017) –The 34th Human Right Councils held a side event that was co-sponsored by the IDC on the margins of the Human Rights Council regarding the effective implementation of the UN Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty.
Photo: Palais des Nations by UNHCR
The panelists included:
- Manfred Nowak, Independent Expert leading the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty
- Marta Santos Pais, Special Representative to the Secretary General on Violence Against Children
- Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict
- Ben Lewis, Advocacy Coordinator of the International Detention Coalition, and member of the Advisory Board to the Global Study
- Benoît van Keirsbilck, past President of Defence for Children International, co-convener of the NGO Panel for the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty, and member of the Advisory Board to the Global Study
The side event emphasized the need for civil involvement and innovative partnerships to accelerate future outcomes of the Study, and highlighted the issue of detention of refugee and migrant children in the Study. Panelists and participants discussed the need to strengthen existing data collection systems, to implement positive alternative practices, and made concrete recommendations for States to urgently end child immigration detention as a matter of priority. For more information about the panelists and the side event, please find the link here.