Featured Publications
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Improving the Quality of Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers' Guardianship and Care in Central European Countries - Synthesis Report |
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Description: The Synthesis report titled “Overview of guardianship systems for unaccompanied minor asylum-seekers in Central Europe” is part of the “Improving the Quality of Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers’ Guardianship and Care in Central European Countries” project that was carried out with funding by the European Union. The project was implemented between September 2011 and August 2012 by the International Organization for Migration in cooperation with partners in Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The report provides an overview of the guardianship systems, practices and policies in the aforementioned seven countries. It is a consolidated account of information gathered through desk research of legislation, previous studies, reports and projects and semi-structured, individual interviews with experts. Not least, it includes conclusions/recommendations on how assisting the unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in these countries could be more effective and efficient. The main purpose of the report was to underpin the development of a training manual and curriculum for guardians and caregivers in the project countries. The manual was subsequently used to train staff dealing with unaccompanied minor asylum-seekers in each country and can be downloaded below. |
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Format:  Language: English Size: 1.04 MB |
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Improving the Quality of Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers' Guardianship and Care in Central European Countries - Training Manual |
| Description: This Training Manual has been prepared within the framework of the project “Improving the Quality of Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers’ Guardianship and Care in Central European Countries”. The project is financed by the 2010 European Refugee Fund of the European Commission and implemented between September 2011 and August 2012 jointly by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and partners from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. The project focuses on guardianship institutions and systems based on evidence that the aforementioned countries lack established practices to offer adequate standards of protection and assistance to unaccompanied minor asylum seekers (UAMAS). The Training Manual has been developed to be used as a train the trainer (TOT) practical tool for guardians, caregivers and social workers who are in direct contact with UAMAS in the project countries. The training manual will also serve as a useful reference for the target group once the trainings have been carried out. It collects a variety of material relevant to the guardianship and care of UAMAS. The content is divided into a number of thematic chapters. The format is flexible; the training manual can be read as a whole or individual chapters can be referred to when necessary. Methodologically, the training manual is based on the findings of the Synthesis Report compiled by IOM Budapest based on national reports prepared by IOM and NGO focal points in the participating countries, desk research of relevant legislation and previous studies as well as the practical experience of IOM Vienna in developing training manuals for various practitioners in the field of UAMAS and trafficking in human beings. |
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| Format: Language: English Size: 17 MB |
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Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers: Overview of Protection, Assistance and Promising Practices |
| Description: Safeguarding and respecting the rights of unaccompanied minor asylum-seekers – children who have been separated from their families and are outside their country of citizenship – are at the top of the migration agenda of many governments and organizations.The European Parliament, in its resolution of 25 November 2009 on the Stockholm Programme, spells out the Union’s obligation to protect the “‘most vulnerable groups” and clearly distinguishes unaccompanied minors as a “vulnerable group” that requires “special attention and devotion”. Subsequently and complementarily, the European Commission Action Plan on Unaccompanied Minors 2010–2014 identifies the need for greater coherence and more cooperation within the EU which “should be based on the respect for the rights of the child as set out in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UNCRC, in particular the principle of ‘the best interests of the child’ which must be the primary consideration in all action related to children taken by public authorities” (Commission Action Plan, 2010:3). Such tenets are justified by the increasing number of unaccompanied minors who migrate to the EU and are without a parent or guardian. This study surveys and compares national systems for the protection of and assistance to UAMAS and fUAMAS in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Netherlands, and the UK, with the aim of contributing to the development of a coordinated approach towards addressing the needs of these vulnerable groups. It is based on desk reviews and 313 semi-structured interviews with 192 UAMAS and fUAMAS, as well as with 121 adults who served or were serving in the roles of guardians, care workers, attorneys and other experts in charge of implementation of child protection and immigration policies.The report presents key findings related to multiple dimensions and it reveals, among others, widespread agreement among UAMAS, fUAMAS and experts that despite efforts to inform minors about the asylum procedure and related aspects, they are still not fully apprised of essential information and are consequently unable to make informed decisions on matters affecting them. This report was prepared within the project ‘Best Practices for a Coordinated Approach to Assist Unaccompanied Minor Asylum-Seekers (UAMAS) and Former UAMAS (fUAMAS) in EU Member States’. The project was implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), with funding by the European Union and co-funding by UNHCR in the UK and IOM The Hague, between July 2010 and December 2011. |
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| Format: Language: English Size: 562 KB |
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Labour Migration Patterns, Policies and Migration Propensity in the Western Balkans (2009) |
| Description: One of the obstacles to the successful development of adequate policies and programmatic responses to migration issues in the region is the lack of knowledge and reliable information on migration trends and on the latent migration propensity from the Western Balkan region. This report aims to take a step towards filling this gap and addressing information needs for policymakers and practitioners. In that regard, the latest migration trends and statistics related to migration movements from and to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo under UNSCR 1244, Montenegro and Serbia are presented, as well as an overview of their migration policies, particularly in the context of the EU enlargement process. A tentative insight into possible future labour migration flows, based on a survey of migration propensity in all countries under review is offered. Finally, a number of policy recommendations are put forward for consideration. | |
| Format: Language: English Size: 684 KB |
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Addressing the Irregular Employment of Immigrants in the European Union: Between Sanctions and Rights (2008) |
| Description: This volume includes five country reports that analyze the scale of illegal employment in general, and particularly focus on the illegal employment of immigrants, and the measures enforced in Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, and Spain. Attention is devoted to the prevention of the illegal employment of foreign workers, protection against the exploitation of workers and punitive measures for violators.
There is a strong tendency to tighten regulatory measures and enforce policing of the irregular employment of migrants. The human rights of irregularly employed migrants are sometimes of secondary importance for policy makers. Little consideration in policy-making is devoted to address the economic factors of irregular employment. This report is based on the research conducted within the project “Combating the Illegal Employment of Foreigners in the Enlarged EU”, which was funded by the European Commission’s ARGO 2006 programme. |
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| Format: Language: English Size: 1.8 MB |
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Permanent or circular migration? Policy Choices to Address Demographic Decline and Labour Shortages in Europe (2008) |
| Description: This report discusses migration policy options for eight European countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine) based on thorough demographic and economic analysis. Authors of the country reports included in the volume have reviewed demographic projections, past and forecasted structural developments of the economies in general and of the labour market in particular, as well as recent labour migration trends and policies. The studies aim to provide solid knowledge basis for national and European policy makers, encouraging them to take on more determined migration policies. Both immigration, especially through well-managed migrant recruitment schemes, and other policy options such as mobilizing domestic labour reserves are recommended as a comprehensive response to population ageing and dwindling labour force in Europe. This can serve both short- and medium-term labour force needs and medium- to long-term demographic challenges. | |
| Format: Language: English Size: 1.6 MB |
