Nine non-governmental organisations this evening called on the government to take concrete steps to ensure that no child ever again set foot in a detention centre.
In a statement issued on the occasion of World Refugee Day, being celebrated tomorrow, Aditus, Integra and People for Change foundations, JRS, Kopin, Malta Emigrants Commission, Migrant’s Network for Equality, Organisation for Friendship in Diversity and SOS Malta, recalled that on Freedom Day, the Prime Minister pledged to end the detention of children.
However, children arriving in Malta were still being detained. Unaccompanied minors were also often detained with adults pending the outcome of age assessment.
“We acknowledge that in recent months there have been significant improvements in both the quality and the duration of the age assessment procedure... However, we feel much more needs to be done to honour the commitment to put an end to child detention.
“In particular we urge the government to establish appropriate non-custodial reception facilities for families with children, as well as for unaccompanied minors pending the outcome of age assessment.
“We reiterate our willingness to engage with this and other review processes, and to share our varied expertise and experiences. We pledge to continue to support positive efforts to improve Malta’s asylum regime, and we hope to be given the opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable and long-term strategy,” they said.