Month: June 2013

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MJ: Expecting Change: the case for ending the immigration detention of pregnant women

DETAINING PREGNANT WOMEN SERIOUSLY DAMAGES THEIR HEALTH & PUTS THEIR BABIES AT RISK, NEW REPORT WARNS
Stillbirth, miscarriage and acute psychosis are amongst the problems experienced by pregnant women held in immigration removal centres, according to a disturbing new report.
The report, Expecting Change: the case for ending the immigration detention of pregnant women, is released today (June 11th) by the charity Medical Justice. It exposes the injustice and ineffectiveness of detaining pregnant women for immigration purposes.
93 pregnant women were held in the main immigration detention facility for women, Yarl’s Wood in 2011. The primary purpose of detention is removal, yet this research and a previous Medical Justice audit show that only around 5% of pregnant women were successfully removed. Removal of pregnant women is difficult because the Home Office is no longer permitted to use force on them, following a court case earlier this year. Continue reading “MJ: Expecting Change: the case for ending the immigration detention of pregnant women”
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Human Rights of unaccompanied migrant children and young people in the UK

House of Lords, House of Commons  –  Joint Committee on Human Rights

Summary
Unaccompanied migrant children are those who arrive in the United Kingdom separated from their parents and other relatives, and who are not being cared for by an adult with a legal or customary responsibility for doing so. In 2012 around 1,200 such children sought asylum in the UK, and around 2,150 unaccompanied migrant children were being cared for by local authorities.

These children are entitled to protection under domestic legislation and international agreements, the most universally accepted of which is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Providing protection and support effectively is crucial: the asylum and immigration process can be complex, and the stress it can cause can be particularly acute for
children. In this Report we examine how effectively support is provided at present, and how it could be provided more effectively in the future. Continue reading “Human Rights of unaccompanied migrant children and young people in the UK”

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Home Affairs Select Committee asylum inquiry

The Home Affairs Select Committee is continuing to take evidence as part of its inquiry into asylum. It has already heard from the Independent Chief Inspector, Women for Refugee Women, Asylum Aid, Freedom from Torture and Justice First. For further information go to:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/home-affairs-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/asylum/

 

Here is the list of contributors and their contributions:

http://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/home-affairs/130416%20Asylum%20written%20evidence.pdf