A global study by the United Nations has called on countries to end the detention of child migrants. Hundreds of thousands of children are held in immigration detention in more than 80 countries worldwide. The study claims this violates children's rights and does serious harm to their physical and mental health.
A report released by the United Nations in early September accused Libyan local and state authorities of being involved in human trafficking. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote in the report that both local and state authorities in Libya are involved in the human trafficking of migrants. The UN said that the information it had received in order to write the report was "credible."
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has voiced concern for a number of policies carried out by European countries which she feels express a “lethal disregard” for migrants. In a speech on Monday, Bachelet said actions by some European countries to criminalize NGOs have had “deadly consequences for adults and children seeking safety.”
The UN Security Council did not issue a statement condemning the bombing in Libya after the US reportedly did not endorse it. Washington earlier criticized the attack as 'abhorrent', but did not call for a ceasefire.
With more than 70 million displaced people worldwide, working out how to provide them with shelter is a huge challenge. Designing a place that could become their home for decades is even harder, especially when there is little political will.
Vaccines save millions of lives, and yet misinformation and limited availability have left large numbers of children at risk. In Europe, migrants will continue to be more vulnerable than host populations unless they have access to immunization, experts say.
The global organization's comments come after the arrest of German captain Carola Rackete. The 31-year-old contravened Italian law when landing with 42 rescued passengers last week.
Only one percent of refugees worldwide have access to higher education; Heiko Maas calls the figure 'frighteningly low.' The UN's German-financed 'Einstein Initiative' aims to up the number by 2030, but much more must be done.
The United Nations has urged the Italian government to halt the approval of a new decree on security. UN human rights experts say it violates migrants' human rights. Under the decree, NGO-run ships would be fined for every person rescued at sea and taken to Italian territory.
UNICEF has voiced its concern about the over 1,000 minors among the 3,000 migrants held in Libyan detention centers in conflict zones. ''They have already suffered all types of torture and the worst is feared,'' said the Italian branch spokesman.
The UN refugee agency's Vincent Cochetel has said that the distribution of refugees and asylum seekers in Tunisia needs to be improved - in order to prevent a "concentration of traumatized people in the same space."
Nearly three weeks since fighting began near the Libyan capital Tripoli, the United Nations warned that refugees and migrants remain exposed to clashes. According to the UN's refugee agency, some 3,600 of them are trapped in detention centers near the frontline.