“Any child detained is evidence of failed systems, but that failure is then compounded further. UNICEF called for governments and civil society to reimagine justice to safely end the detention of all children. Justice for childrenĪpproximately 261,000 children globally are held in detention, according to the second UNICEF report.Įstimating the number of children deprived of their liberty in the administration of justice is the first such analysis in more than a decade, and warns that incomplete record-keeping and undeveloped administrative data systems in many countries mean the number is likely to be much higher.
COVID-19 forced courts to shut down, and restricted access to essential social and justice services.Įvidence shows that many children, including children living on the streets, were detained for violating pandemic curfew orders and movement restrictions. UNICEF said the pandemic has profoundly affected justice for children. Furthermore, many are denied access to lawyers and family care. They are also vulnerable to neglect, physical and psychological abuse, as well as gender-based violence. COVID-19 impactĭetention facilities are often overcrowded, and children there lack adequate access to nutrition, healthcare and hygiene services. They have also been held in relation to armed conflict or national security, or they live with parents who are in confinement.
This has proved something we already knew – child friendly justice solutions are more than possible.”Īcross the world, children have been detained, including in pre- and post-trial custody, or in immigration detention. “By protecting children from conditions that could have exposed them to grave illness, these countries were able to overcome public resistance and spur innovative, age-appropriate justice solutions. “We have long known that justice systems are ill-equipped to handle the specific needs of children – a situation further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. Henrietta Fore, the UNICEF Executive Director, commended those countries that heeded the agency’s call. The report is one of two studies released ahead of the World Congress on Justice with Children, taking place online this week.
0 kommentar(er)
