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Data: 16/05/2008
The plight of children stuck in the asylum system (EN)
One aspect that a recent visit to asylum centres in Denmark brought home was the fate of children in such centres around Europe. As Cypriot MEP Panayiotis Demetriou (EPP-ED) said after seeing the Danish system, the time spent waiting for asylum requests to be processed can be seriously detrimental not only to parenting skills but also for children. Last year there were 466 children in asylum centres in Denmark alone and on average their wait will be 2.4 years before their case is resolved.
During the MEPs' visit to Denmark leading medical experts and NGO's warned of the psychological effect on children. Psychiatrist Bente Reich told a meeting of MEPs and asylum experts in Copenhagen on 10 April that "the children are the big losers, because they are very dependent on the environment in the family".
Children showing signs of metal illness
She warned of the dangers of depressed parents - "if the parents for instance are suicidal, the children will do anything to protect them". The risks of parents committing suicide is a very real one - figures for the period 2001-2007 showed that 43 parents in the Danish asylum system tried to commit suicide.
According to Ms Reich, an unstable family environment also affects the children’s social and educational abilities in a very negative way. "The best way to start rehabilitation is to give them certainty about their future." According to the weekly journal for doctors - "Ugeskrift for læger" - 35 % of asylum children age 4-16 show signs of mental illness, while the number is 58 % for children aged 11 – 16.
Fear of "socially handicapped children"
Gerd Gotlieb of “Grandparents for Asylum and Asylum Now” said that although all asylum children in Denmark have the right to go to school, the majority have no access to the normal Danish school system.
Inger Neufeld of "save the children" told us that often asylum children disappear when they are told that they have to return their country of origin. This often leads children to become victims of trafficking, she said.
French Socialist Martine Roure agreed with Mr Demetriou, and added that long stays in the centres create "socially handicapped children".
Merna Samir's story: "My dream is to become a lawyer"
Merna Samir is 20 years old and has spent the last six years in the Sandholm Camp. Her father was killed many years ago by the Iraqi authorities under Saddam Hussein's regime. She told us that she has never been in touch with the Danish educational system outside the camp: "My dream is to become a lawyer, but under the current circumstances it’s not possible”. She went on to say that "I hope that I will one day be able to take part in society, like all other young people".
The final word on the visit goes to Mr Demetriou, "children are the most valuable creatures and we have to take more care of them. Beyond the rules and regulations - we are dealing with children."
More info : http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/008-26637-168-06-25-901-20080415STO26614-2008-16-06-2008/default_en.htm
Pas de refuge pour les enfants de réfugiés (FR)
Les enfants sont les « grands perdants » de la vie prolongée dans les centres pour réfugiés, a estimé une psychiatre la semaine dernière, lors de la visite de la délégation européenne au Danemark. Souvent traumatisés par des expériences difficiles avant leur arrivée, les enfants demandeurs d’asile sont aussi victimes de l’instabilité familiale liée à l’incertitude sur leur statut. Plus de la moitié des 11-16 ans souffrent de maladies mentales.
Au Danemark, les enfants en attente d’asile passent en moyenne 2,4 années dans des centres pour réfugiés. Même avec leur famille, les enfants doivent souvent subir l’instabilité de leur situation et le désespoir des parents. Et ce, pendant des années.
« Les enfants sont les grands perdants », a ainsi expliqué la psychiatre Bente Reich aux députés européens, la semaine dernière, « car ils sont très dépendants de leur environnement familial. Si par exemple les parents sont suicidaires, les enfants feront tout pour les protéger ». Entre 2001 et 2007, 43 parents ont tenté de se donner la mort dans les centres danois pour réfugiés.
Leur (re)donner un avenir
« La première chose à faire pour aider à leur réhabilitation est d’offrir à ces enfants un avenir certain », ajoute la psychiatre. Pour cela, il est déjà bien que les enfants de réfugiés aient le droit d’aller à l’école, affirme Gerd Gotlieb de l’ONG « Les grands parents pour les réfugiés ». Mais elle déplore aussitôt que dans les faits, la très grande majorité des enfants n’aient pas accès à l’éducation en dehors des centres.
« Les enfants sont les créatures les plus vulnérables », juge le député européen Panayiotis Demetriou (Parti Populaire Européen-Démocrates Eur
Sito web: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/008-26637-168-06-25-901-20080415STO26614-2008-16-06-2008/default_en.htm
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