Protection of unaccompanied minor refugees’ rights in accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Abstract

In 2015, the total number of refugees in the world reached 21.3 million. Over half of these were children. And the majority of these minors were unaccompanied, traveling alone without their family, trying to find a safer place to continue their lives. The Norwegian government is obligated to protect the rights of unaccompanied minors, (15 to 18 years old), in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The aim of this research have been to investigate how the human rights of these unaccompanied minor refugees are being protected in Norway with regards with to the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The research involved analysis of international and national legal documents, and interviews with non-governmental organizations and governmental institutions involved with the protection and care of the rights of children. The results showed that the rights of the child have a strong position in legal documents, non-governmental organizations and governmental institutions. The results also showed that minors between the age of 15 to 18 had fewer employees available in care institutions, than those below the age of 15 years, thus differential in the care received. The legal guardians whom are appointed to protect the child throughout the asylum process shall provide assistance, but not daily care. And there is no clear definition of what adequate care is, which created different interpretations by non-governmental organizations and the government.