Anexo 10

THE ROLE OF PARLIAMENTS IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, IN PARTICULAR

UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN, AND IN PREVENTING THEIR EXPLOITATION IN

SITUATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICT

Resolution adopted unanimously by the 130th IPU Assembly

(Geneva, 20 March 2014)

The 130th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union,

Considering that Article 1 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as “every

human being below the age of eighteen years”,

Acknowledging that efforts have been made globally to promote the protection of and respect for

the human rights of unaccompanied migrant children, separated children and children involved in

armed conflicts pursuant to the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child,

Recognizing the fundamental principles and rights that must be guaranteed to all children, especially

unaccompanied or separated children, boys and girls, in accordance with the Convention on the

Rights of the Child, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant

Workers and Members of Their Families and States’ other obligations under international law,

including the best interests of the child; non-discrimination; non-punishment; non-detention; non-

refoulement; family unity; the right to physical and legal protection; the right to an identity, the right

to life, survival and development; the right to be heard and to participate in decisions that affect

them; the right to be protected from violence; the right to education; the right to due process

guarantees and the right to access to health care and psychological support, reintegration assistance

and legal aid,

Recalling that paragraph 7 of General Comment No. 6 (2005) on the Treatment of Unaccompanied

and Separated Children Outside their Country of Origin, issued by the Committee on the Rights of

Child, defines “unaccompanied children” as those “who have been separated from both parents and

other relatives and are not being cared for by an adult who, by law or custom, is responsible for

doing so”, while paragraph 8 defines “separated children” as “children who have been separated

from both parents, or from their previous legal or customary primary caregiver, but not necessarily

from other relatives”,

Also recalling that paragraph 13 of General Comment No. 13 (2011) on The right of the child to

freedom from all forms of violence, issued by the Committee on the Rights of Child, states that

“Addressing and eliminating the widespread prevalence and incidence of violence against children is

an obligation of States parties under the Convention. Securing and promoting children’s

fundamental rights to respect for their human dignity and physical and psychological integrity,

through the prevention of all forms of violence, is essential for promoting the full set of child rights

in the Convention”,

Recognizing the importance of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination

against Women, the general recommendations of the Committee on the Elimination of

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