Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
A number of independent human rights experts have called on the UK to ensure the protection of all children seeking asylum – without discrimination – and to end the practice of placing unaccompanied children in hotels.
According to a United Nations news bulletin, of which we received a copy today, Wednesday, the experts, in a statement issued on Tuesday, expressed grave concern at reports that unaccompanied asylum-seeking children have disappeared and are at grave risk of being trafficked into the UK.
The experts also expressed concern about the current policy and practice of housing unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in temporary accommodation in hotels rather than in places under the responsibility of local authorities.
Independent experts warn that this puts children outside the UK's child protection system, which is a "discriminatory" policy, and warns that failures and loopholes in child protection increase the risk of trafficking.
They stressed the urgent need to trace missing children, and to provide human rights-compliant reception conditions and protection for unaccompanied children seeking asylum – without discrimination on the grounds of nationality, immigration status, race or gender.
They added: "The UK government appears to have failed to comply with its core obligations under international human rights law to ensure the best interests of the child, without discrimination, and to prevent child trafficking."
The disappearance of dozens of children
The experts pointed to reports of 4,600 unaccompanied children being accommodated in six hotels since June 2021.
According to these reports, 440 of these children disappeared, while 220 of them are still missing as of January 23, 2023, and most of them are Albanian citizens.
"The practice is alleged to have developed in the midst of a climate of growing hostility towards victims of trafficking, contemporary forms of slavery, refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants," the UN experts said.
Some British MPs reportedly continued to criticize trafficking victims seeking protection under the Modern Slavery Act and the National Referral Mechanism, undermining the state's commitment to protecting victims and preventing trafficking and contemporary forms of slavery.
The experts said they are in contact with the UK government about these concerns.
The international experts are:
Siobhan Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children; Mr. Tomoya Ubukata, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, its causes and consequences; The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants*, Felipe González Morales.
It is noteworthy that the special rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Human Rights Council in Geneva, which is an intergovernmental body responsible for the promotion and protection of human rights around the world. Rapporteurs and experts are charged with studying human rights situations and submitting reports on them to the Human Rights Council. It should be noted that this position is ceremonial, and these experts are not considered employees of the United Nations and do not receive remuneration for their work.