Together's response to the passage of the Nationality and Borders Bill

Date: 28th April 2022
Category: Refugee , migrant and asylum-seeking children

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Together (Scottish Alliance for Children’s Rights) is appalled that the Nationality and Borders Bill that has recently been passed by the UK Parliament. This is a Bill which is anti-refugee and explicitly anti-child.

The Bill will have a devastating impact on children, breaching the rights of those who are already most at risk.  It will criminalise children seeking safety and reduce essential safeguards, meaning these children are at a greater risk of being trafficked.  The Bill goes against both the spirit and the substance of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and is completely at odds with the UN Refugee Convention.

With widespread support from Together’s members, Scottish Parliament voted overwhelmingly to reject the Bill earlier this year. Passage of the Bill goes against all efforts to further the protection of children’s human rights in Scotland.

Together will continue to work with our membership to support and stand up for the rights of refugee children, and their families. In line with Article 22 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, we will take every step possible to ensure asylum-seeking and refugee children have the same rights as those children born in Scotland, as well as the right to special protection and help.

To discover more about the Borders and Nationality Bill, you can read our consultation response here and our joint statement here.