There are few principles more fundamental to UNHCR’s mandate than the protection of children fleeing conflict.
Tragically, children account for half of the 68 million people worldwide displaced by violence. Last year at least 173,000 were separated from their families while fleeing.
This week we are witnessing thousands of children and their families form a much-publicised ‘caravan’ to escape horrific gang violence in Central America. South Sudan, meanwhile, has seen over one million of its children flee the country due to conflict.
And here in our own region, the detention of refugee children and their families on Nauru continues to draw widespread and growing condemnation,
prompting the urgent #kidsoffNauru petition. Australia for UNHCR has a long history of supporting displaced children. We enabled family tracing programs for Eritrean refugee children who lost their families. We delivered trauma counselling for Rohingya children who fled Myanmar. And we are funding healthcare for newborns in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
All refugee children, wherever they are in the world, deserve to be protected, have adequate healthcare and continue their education.
It is for this reason that Australia for UNHCR is supporting the #KidsOffNauru campaign and calling for all refugee children and their families on Nauru to be immediately evacuated to Australia. The situation is now well beyond policy debate – this is about urgent humanitarian welfare.
Thank you for standing with refugees. Together, we can continue to ensure that all children fleeing conflict have the right to seek protection and live in safety.
Kind regards,
Naomi Steer
National Director
Australia for UNHCR
