When children seek asylum from their parents: a Canadian case study.
When children seek asylum from alleged abuse by a custodial parent, the notion that family reunification is always in the best interests of independent child migrants is undermined. In this chapter, the authors discuss the legal tensions between the Refugee Convention, the Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the "Hague Convention"), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child that arise in such cases. They recommend that the principle of expediency underlying the Hague Convention should not override the time and due process requirements necessary to adequately assess the best interests of the child involved.
Community Legal Services Ottawa Centre, and University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. bossinm@lao.on.ca
Michael
M
Bossin
Laïla
L
Demirdache
D002170:Canada; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002651:Child Advocacy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002655:Child Custody / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003415:Crime; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007391:International Cooperation; D008800:Mexico / Q000208:ethnology; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D011057:Politics; D011153:Population; D012036:Refugees / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000523:psychology; D012111:Residence Characteristics