Head of Migration Commission: Provisional admission is an outdated concept: “We will apologize for our treatment of children in the asylum sector”

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According to the head of the Swiss Migration Commission, Switzerland will have to apologize in the future for its treatment of children in the asylum sector – as was the case with contracted and institutionalized children. “The ‘provisional admission’ is an outdated concept.”

The needs of children and young people are not taken into account in the asylum sector, says Walter Leimgruber, chairman of the Federal Migration Commission, in an interview with Tamedia published on Tuesday.

What is needed is such a protection status for people from Ukraine: limited in time, but with defined rules so that those affected can stand on their own two feet as quickly as possible. But he lacks a coherent policy for a constructive approach to migration, which will only increase in the future, according to Leimgruber.

Clear training and employment structures need to be created. “While the asylum procedures are still ongoing, there is a need for schools, employment programs, but also for all kinds of contacts with society, for example in clubs,” said Leimgruber. They should then be able to start training without long interruptions. “We are on the right track with the Swiss integration agenda. But it should apply to everyone.”

Crayons are considered potential weapons

The conditions and care of children in the asylum area are constantly changing, says Leimgruber. “But they need consistency, familiarity and caretakers, otherwise development problems will arise with major consequences for society.” Unaccompanied minors (UMA) in particular need protection. “Unfortunately, and the young people feel this, no one cares whether they are still there or not. By doing so, we are not fulfilling the protective mandate of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

Leimgruber advocated taking in more particularly vulnerable people directly from refugee camps through so-called resettlement. To this end, the humanitarian visa could be used more widely and asylum at the embassy could be reintroduced. “But we also need to think more fundamentally about whether we should make other offers to the affected countries, namely to workers and trainees, who we urgently need,” Leimgruber said.

For this purpose, families and individuals should be housed separately, Leimgruber said. “Asylum centers function like barracks. And barracks are not child-friendly. There are uniformed guards there, which scares children from war zones.” These would also be checked by the security guards just like the adults. “The crayons are then taken from them because they could be potential weapons,” Leimgruber explains. (SDA)

Source:Blick