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	Children fleeing conflict and disasters face high risks of exploitation by Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons   Nov. 2017   Children must be top of global migration agenda, UN experts say. (OHCHR)   All children caught up in the global migration crisis should be treated as children first and foremost, regardless of their nationality or migration status, or that of their parents, UN human rights experts have said in authoritative new guidance on the human rights of children in the context of international migration which is published today.   Migrant children, defined as those below the age of 18, continue to suffer the most from the violation of their rights, the experts said.   “States should adopt new laws and policies or amendments to existing laws, as well as implement practical measures to fulfil the rights of all children in the context of international migration,” say the experts from the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.   “The key principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child – such as non-discrimination, the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development, and the right to be heard and to participate - should be the guiding principles of any migration policy at local, national, regional and global levels.”   The guidance, officially termed joint General Comments, promotes the development and implementation of comprehensive, rights-based migration policies in countries of origin, transit, destination and return of international migration, by improving the realization of the children’s rights.   And since the Convention on the Rights of the Child enjoys the ratification of 196 States, the obligations highlighted in the General Comments have a global resonance.   The new General Comments are a response to the multiple and intersecting forms of human rights violations faced by children in the context of international migration.   For some children, the difficulties begin with perilous border crossings and rough seas, including being at the mercy of often unscrupulous smuggling networks. Some tragically never arrive at their destinations.   Children are also at risk of being exposed to sickness, injury, violence, including sexual violence, abuse and neglect, exploitation, including forced labour, and trafficking. These risks are multiplied in cases of children on the move, and in particular unaccompanied children.   They may be denied access to adequate medical services and education, face abuse by border guards and other officials, and be held in detention either alone or with their families, a practice that is never in the best interest of the child. Some children are deported without proper due process guarantees because of their migration status or that of their parents, and may face the risk of persecution upon their return. Others have been separated from their parents due to their migration status, with limited or no opportunity for family reunification.   Both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families address these human rights violations.   Benyam Dawit Mezmur, former Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, said: “The implementation of the new guidelines is not only the right thing to do, but also the smart thing to do. It could help eradicate worrying practices, such as exposing children to trafficking and violence at the hands of criminals, or depriving children of their liberty because of their migration status, as well as separating families through immigration law enforcement and excluding some children from basic social services on the basis of their nationality and residence status.”   Pablo Ceriani Cernadas, Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, said: “Ensuring the rights of all children in the context of migration is a critical means not only to promote social cohesion and integration in host societies, but also to adequately address in the medium and long term the root causes of migration through a rights-based and human development lens.”   The experts highlighted that the Joint General Comments could become a critical tool for the international community with respect to related initiatives, such as the Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees. It will also contribute significantly to achieving the relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that no child is left behind. http://bit.ly/2z9skKL   Oct. 2017   Children fleeing conflict and disasters face high risks of exploitation.   States must step up their work to protect migrant children from sale, trafficking and other forms of exploitation, two UN experts say in a joint study, warning that many children currently suffer sexual and labour exploitation amid “ineffective” action by countries around the world.   Children fleeing conflict and disasters face high risks of exploitation - with lone children facing particular dangers - and States are falling short in their duty to protect them, said Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children, and Maria Grazia Giammarinaro, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, presenting their joint report to the General Assembly in New York.   “States must recognize the international protection needs of children who flee conflicts and crises,” the experts said. “In particular, States must ensure that unaccompanied and separated children are promptly identified, registered and referred to the child protection system.”   “All children, including those accompanied by parents or other legal guardians, must be treated as individual rights-holders, not criminals,” they added.   The UN experts said States’ existing responses to the various forms of exploitation faced by children fleeing conflict and humanitarian crisis were largely ineffective and led to precariousness.   “In spite of some promising practices, the interim care and durable solutions for vulnerable children on the move often do not consider the specific needs of children, especially those separated or unaccompanied who live in mixed spaces with adult migrants or refugees in areas or camps that lack basic amenities,” the experts said.   “All children on the move are vulnerable to sale, trafficking and other forms of exploitation,” the experts said. “Children must be protected first and foremost as children. Tailored solutions must be adopted for each case, including as appropriate additional protection offered by national legislation providing assistance, protection and residence status to children close to adulthood.”   Too often States fail to protect children and to identify indicators of trafficking and exploitation. “The existence of numerous cases of sexual exploitation of children, even in refugee camps and state-run facilities is an additional indication of the failure of a protection system meant to safeguard them.”   In their joint report, the UN experts urge States to adopt proactive protection measures for children affected by conflict and crisis, such as family- and community-based solutions and creating safe child-friendly spaces. They also advised strengthening the professionals working with migrants and refugees where they live and where they arrive in large numbers, and train them to identify international protection entitlements as well as indicators of sale, trafficking and other forms of exploitation.”   “States should also make sure children can easily report sexual abuse and exploitation, and ensure that those without family members are placed with trained guardians as soon as possible,” they added.   “The sale of and trafficking in children has to be prevented, with a particular focus on protecting orphans, children left behind by parents fleeing conflict, and those who have fled conflict and crises without their families,” the experts said.   “States must adopt measures to prevent the sexual and labour exploitation of children, including by establishing accessible, safe and regular channels of migration, respecting the principle of non-refoulement and ensuring that migrant and refugee children have regular access to education and life skills training in the host country,” the experts added. http://bit.ly/2yfBLqw http://bit.ly/2eSmUdZ   http://www.un.org/apps/news/html/HR-dialogue.asp http://endchilddetention.com/ http://idcoalition.org/ http://www.iom.int/ Visit the related web page
	When journalists are targeted, societies as a whole also pay the price by UN News, DW, UNESCO, ICIJ, agencies Malta   Nov. 2017   Justice must be done for the murder of journalists, who perform important functions in taking forward fundamental freedoms and bolstering the strength of societies, a senior United Nations official said marking the International Day to end impunity for crimes against them.   “Justice is a cornerstone of a free society. It dissuades those who threaten freedom of expression and emboldens those who stand to defend it,” said Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).   The date was chosen in commemoration of the assassination of two French journalists in Mali on 2 November 2013.   “This is why injustice against journalists is so costly for all societies,” she added.   From 2006 to 2016, at least 930 journalists were killed. In 2016 alone, some 102 journalists were killed in the line of duty. Worryingly, more than nine out of 10 cases, the perpetrators are never brought to justice.   “We must ensure justice is done for every journalist killed,” she declared.   Journalists must be defended through concerted action by Governments, supported by the UN, working with all relevant actors, from international regional organizations, judiciaries and media to private companies, academia and civil society.   UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that when journalists are targeted, societies as a whole also pay the price. Indeed, the kind of news that gets silenced – corruption, conflicts of interest, illegal trafficking – is exactly the kind of information the public needs to know.   The UN General Assembly, Security Council and Human Rights Council have all condemned attacks against journalists and called for ensuring their safety. The United Nations system has also endorsed a Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity.   “We are committed to helping to create the environment journalists need to perform their vital work,” said Mr. Guterres, announcing that he is mobilizing a network of focal points from throughout the UN system to propose specific steps to intensify the Organization’s efforts to enhance the safety of journalists and media workers.   In Geneva, two UN experts warned that the world is witnessing a “downward spiral of attacks” on journalists, spurred on by hate speech even from senior politicians.   Speaking on the eve of International Day, the Special Rapporteurs on arbitrary, summary and extrajudicial executions, Agnes Callamard, and on freedom of expression, David Kaye, said that when authorities fail to follow up such attacks with independent and impartial investigations, the killers and their allies achieve their objectives. The attacks need to stop, so too does the public demonization of reporting and specific media outlets and reporters by political leaders at the highest levels, they added.   http://bit.ly/2iyrw75 http://bit.ly/2zAibGV http://bit.ly/2hJhIr6 http://bit.ly/1fiyiXE   * See the report of the UN Secretary-General on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity: http://undocs.org/A/70/290   Oct. 2017   EU lawmakers make emotional tributes to murdered Malta journalist.   One prominent European MEP has described his despair after meeting the family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. He was among multiple lawmakers who demanded an international investigation into the killing.   Spanish MEP Esteban Gonzalez Pons said he "wept" following his encounter with Daphne Caruana Galizia''s husband and three sons at a European Parliamentary session in Strasbourg.   The prominent investigative reporter and anti-corruption campaigner was killed last week when a bomb ripped through her car, sending shockwaves around the world.   Pressure is mounting on Malta to find those responsible for Caruana Galizia''s murder.   "We failed Daphne," Pons told fellow lawmakers in an impassioned debate on press freedom in the EU assembly.   The fact she was a European citizen on European soil had been of "no use" to her, he said, warning that her killing represented a threat to European principles and a "direct threat to us all."   Frequently described as a "one-woman WikiLeaks," Caruana Galizia led the Panama Papers investigation into corruption in Malta. She had extensively documented alleged corruption and money laundering and repeatedly detailed accusations against Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, his inner circle, as well as leading members of the opposition.   Caruana Galizia''s killing has shone an even brighter light on the allegations she reported and raised fears over the rule of law in the EU''s smallest nation.   Pressure is mounting on Malta to find those responsible for the murder, with European Commission vice-president Frans Timmermans warning that the "eyes of Europe stay firmly fixed" on Malta.   EU Parliament President Antonio Tajani pledged European to support Malta in its efforts, demanding it play a key role in an international investigation into the murder.   "In my view, Europol [the EU law enforcement agency] must also be involved, as part of an international investigation in which all police forces can work together to bring those responsible to justice," he said.   There are, however, growing calls for the EU''s role to go beyond rooting out the perpetrator or perpetrators. A number of European lawmakers are demanding that the bloc continue Caruana Galizia''s work and launch an investigation into the extensive allegations of corruption and money laundering within its borders.   "This is not a mere Maltese problem, this is a European problem," said one Dutch MEP. "We are talking about international networks of corruption and crime, money laundering, hiding criminal money, etc. etc. If one member state doesn''t function in this respect, then the whole system fails. So it is in everybody''s interest that we investigate. "We owe it to Daphne," she added.   Green MEPs Eva Joly and Sven Giegold have gone as far as to issue a joint statement urging the European Commission to investigate "Malta''s respect of the European rules against money laundering."   "The Maltese government has failed to take serious action against high level cases of money laundering in its country," it said.   In an interview with DW, Joly also added her name to the list of European legislators demanding that Prime Minister Muscat step down.   "What is clear to me, is that there is no confidence anymore that this government will be able to conduct an inquiry into the assassination of Daphne Caruana because they have not been able to conduct an inquiry into corruption or money laundering," she said.   The call for Muscat''s resignation is also being championed by Caruana Galizia''s sons, who in a statement posted on social media urged the Maltese prime minister to take "political responsibility."   "Resign for failing to uphold our fundamental freedoms. Resign for watching over the birth of a society dominated by fear, mistrust, crime and corruption," the statement said.   "Justice, beyond criminal liability, will only be served when everything that our mother fought for – political accountability, integrity in public life and an open and free society – replaces the desperate situation we are in," they added.   In a mark of respect, the European Parliamentary session observed a minute''s silence earlier on Tuesday. It was also announced that a European Parliament press room in Strasbourg will be named after Caruana Galizia. http://bit.ly/2hcMQiK http://bit.ly/2zbvZrc   http://panamapapers.icij.org/ http://en.unesco.org/unesco-condemns-killing-of-journalists http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/freedom-of-expression/safety-of-journalists/unesco-partners-in-the-field-of-the-safety-of-journalists/ http://bit.ly/2hcgW5W
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