WE HAVE studied the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, signed by the United Kingdom government in 1991.

Article 42 of the Convention states: ‘Governments should undertake to make the principles and provisions of the Convention widely known, by appropriate and active means, to children and adults alike.’ We are most grateful to discover the rights to which we are entitled.

In our concern for the number of unaccompanied child refugees, not only in Calais but also in Turkey, Greece, Syria and Lebanon, we wish to draw your attentions to Article 22 of the Convention: Article 22: ‘If a child is a refugee or is seeking refuge, governments must provide them with appropriate protection and assistance to help them enjoy the same rights in the Convention as any other child.’ Governments must help in trying to unite child refuges with their parents.

In recent months the media has been excellent in highlighting the plight of refugee children.

Thank you.

At the present time, the government of the United Kingdom seems unwilling to acknowledge its responsibilities under the Convention.

Refugee children: must enjoy same rights: as any other child

On behalf of Gloucestershire Quaker Link Group (ages 10-15)