The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe launched the Campaign to End Immigration Detention of Children, taking a significant first step towards effecting changes to law, policy and practice in region.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) is made up of 318 parliamentarians from the national parliaments of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states, and is one of two organs dedicated to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law, and which oversees the European Court of Human Rights.
The IDC is a proud supporter of the Global Campaign to End Child Detention, having initiated it in 2012.
The launch event featured a “Living Library” where people with personal experiences share stories about ending child immigration detention.
The experts who spoke included:
- Anne Brasseur, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
- Doris Fiala, the General Rapporteur on Ending Immigration Detention of Children
- Antje Rothemund, Head of Youth Department of the Council of Europe
- Niclas Axelsson, Swedish Migration Board
- Jens Kraatz, Condrobs Housing Project for Young Refugees and Students
- Leeanne Torpey, Global Campaign Coordinator
- Pınar Aksu, Advocate detained as a child in the UK
- Ms.Meltem Avcil, Advocate detained as a child in the UK
- Sameer Hannan, Advocate detained in the Netherlands with his son
- Martin Vegter, Defence for Children International, Netherlands
This is a follow-up to PACE’s report and resolution calling for alternatives to immigration detention for children last year.
Doris Fiala has recently been appointed as the General Rapporteur on Ending Immigration Detention of Children by the Council of Europe Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons.
Click here for a letter from Mr Mariani, Chairperson of the Committee expressing their support for the Campaign.