UNICEF Urges Child-Centred Migration Policies as Global Forum Convenes

The agency highlighted that evolving laws, enforcement practices, and bilateral agreements are rapidly reshaping migration governance worldwide.

As countries gather for the International Migration Review Forum, UNICEF has issued a strong call for governments to place children's rights at the centre of migration policies, warning that the world is at a critical juncture in how migration systems impact young people.

The agency highlighted that evolving laws, enforcement practices, and bilateral agreements are rapidly reshaping migration governance worldwide. At stake, UNICEF said, is whether these systems will protect children's best interests—or expose them to risks such as family separation, detention, and reduced access to essential services.

Central to UNICEF's message is a key principle: effective migration management and child protection are not opposing goals. Instead, when aligned with international standards, they can reinforce each other to create systems that are both efficient and humane.

"Migration governance must ensure children's safety, dignity, and future," UNICEF emphasised, urging countries to adopt policies that balance border management with robust child protection safeguards.

To guide action, UNICEF outlined three critical priorities for Member States:

End child immigration detention UNICEF reiterated that detention is never in the best interests of a child. Governments are encouraged to adopt community-based alternatives that allow children and families to remain together while their migration or asylum cases are processed. Such approaches are not only more humane but also more cost-effective and conducive to fair legal processes.

Protect access to essential services The organisation called for immigration enforcement to be kept away from locations that must remain safe for children, including schools, hospitals, and community centres. Conducting enforcement operations in these spaces, UNICEF warned, creates fear and discourages families from seeking vital services such as healthcare, education, and protection.

Prioritise family unity and reunification Family separation, UNICEF noted, has severe and lasting impacts on children's well-being and development. Governments should implement measures to prevent separation wherever possible and establish efficient systems for tracing and reunifying families when separation occurs. Cross-border reunification, when in a child's best interest, should be supported with appropriate reintegration assistance.

UNICEF also stressed that children migrate for diverse and often complex reasons—including conflict, poverty, and the need to reunite with family. Recognising these realities is essential to designing policies that are both practical and compassionate.

The agency concluded by urging Member States to make concrete commitments to protect children in migration and to embed child rights into all aspects of migration governance.

By doing so, UNICEF said, countries can demonstrate that migration systems can be managed in ways that are lawful, effective, and centred on human dignity, ensuring that no child is left unprotected.