Since March 2014, Refugee Support Netwok has been systematically monitoring what happens to former child asylum seekers who have been forcibly removed to Afghanistan after turning 18. After Return documents their experiences and, for the first time, fills a vital evidence gap … Continue reading After Return: young people forcibly removed to Afghanistan
It is now possible to watch the movie Leave to Remain on BBCiPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05xxj3y/leave-to-remain About the movie: Based on real-life stories, Leave to Remain is a coming of age drama that depicts a world hidden from view. Omar, a charismatic Afghan teenager, is at … Continue reading Leave to remain: A movie about an Afghan boy and his precarious transitions
Young people seeking safety and security are subjected to the vagaries of all kinds of ‘solutions at various national borders’. Sometimes they are taken in and sometimes they are turned away. Sometimes, as Elaine Chase (UCL) and Nando Sigona (University … Continue reading Lost in the world: Former unaccompanied minors in orbit
The court case about returns of failed asylum seekers to Afghanistan was dismissed last week, with a sad ending. The court ruled that failed asylum-seekers, including former unaccompanied minors, are to be sent back to Afghanistan, amid concerns the country was too dangerous. In … Continue reading Safe enough? Durable solutions beyond deportations
By Rachel Humphris The IOM / UNICEF data briefing on Migration of Children to Europe begins with the statistic that ‘more than one in five refugees and migrants arriving by sea in Europe in 2015 is a child’[1]. The briefing, … Continue reading The numbers game: migration of children to Europe
Nando Sigona is interviewed by The Debate on France24 about the France’s decision to evict Calais residents and the situation of residents. A French court decided to delay the demolition of Calais migrant camp in the north of France. The government wants … Continue reading Debating Calais and the plight of unaccompanied minors on France24
Until the EU recognises the specific needs of child migrants and makes it a priority to swiftly reunite them with family members, Nando Sigona and Jenny Allsopp argue in an op-ed published in OpenDemocracy, many will likely continue to abscond … Continue reading Why are unaccompanied migrant children disappearing in the thousands?
By Habib Rezaie Dear Henri, What a wonderful surprise to receive letter from you! I hope this letter finds you in the best of health. I am so grateful that you are well and I cannot tell you how happy … Continue reading Dear Henri, I have news
By Rachel Humphris The UK Government announced on 28th January 2016 that they will ‘lead a new initiative to resettle unaccompanied children from conflict regions’ [1]. After mounting pressure (see earlier post Happy New Year?), the Prime Minister, David Cameron, … Continue reading Against all odds: resettled separated children and the Immigration Bill
By Khadija Abbasi Summer 2015, Sayed Abad, Mazar-e Sharif I was in a photo studio to take a picture for my Uzbek visa application. There was a power cut. I was asked to come back in 30 minutes. When I … Continue reading Migration at any cost
Becoming adult 