Child Immigration Detention
The WORLD Policy Analysis Center reviewed national-level laws, regulations, ministerial decisions, and executive decrees focused on asylum-seekers, refugees, and immigration across the 150 most populous United Nations member states. These sources were identified primarily using the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (UNHCR) RefWorld catalog and the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) NATLEX database, supplemented with legislation referenced by the Global Detention Project. The Child Immigration Detention Database captures legislative provisions in effect as of July 31, 2018.
This review and analysis did not include legislative provisions located in anti-trafficking laws, bilateral and/or cooperation agreements, treaties, or constitutions.
This database captures legal provisions specific to the detention of minor migrants and asylum-seekers. Legislative language specific to children included “minors,” “children,” or age restrictions up to and including 18 years. When countries did not explicitly address the detention of minors, we captured more general provisions that governed the detention of asylum-seekers and migrants without an explicit age restriction. Provisions that were specific to either unaccompanied or accompanied minors were captured separately. When this distinction was not made, general provisions were applied to both unaccompanied and accompanied minors.
For details on the variables included in this category, please see WORLD’s global maps on Migration.
For more information about WORLD’s approach to building globally comparative databases on policies affecting human health, development, well-being, and equity, please visit our Methodology page.
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