Unaccompanied minor refugees and the protection of their socioeconomic rights under human rights law

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Periodical article

Title:	Unaccompanied minor refugees and the protection of their socioeconomic rights under human rights law
Author:	Swart, Sarah
Year:	2009
Periodical:	African Human Rights Law Journal (ISSN 1609-073X)
Volume:	9
Issue:	1
Pages:	103-128
Language:	English
Geographic terms:	Ghana South Africa
Subjects:	social and economic rights refugees children children's rights
Abstract:	This paper reflects the results of a study whose main objective was to investigate the practical treatment of unaccompanied minor refugees in Ghana and South Africa, and to explore whether such treatment is in accordance with existing international norms and standards for the protection of refugee children. The study focused on the realization of children's socioeconomic rights in order to measure treatment. The paper addresses the obstacles which prevent the proper treatment of unaccompanied minor refugees, and makes recommendations as to how the international community can better regulate the treatment of unaccompanied minor refugees. In essence, the paper investigates whether there is a discrepancy between the rights of child refugees acknowledged in international law, and the situation of unaccompanied minor refugees in practice and, if so, how this can be remedied. Through the case studies of Ghana and South Africa, the paper shows that unaccompanied minor refugees are, to a certain extent, lost in the system. Notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]