About the initiative
Who are we?
The Initiative for Children in Migration (ICM) is an informal collaboration among NGOs and IGOs who are involved in advocacy on EU law and policy impacting children in migration. It aims to bridge the gap between organisations focusing on child rights and migration organisations, and between EU and national policy debates. It currently has over 100 participating organisations across Europe.
ICM is coordinated by focal points. The focal points help to prepare meetings for the exchange of information on EU developments and updates on participants activities. They also periodically share information and receive and share information from the European Commission and the European Parliament for participants in relation to events and consultations. Currently, PICUM, Missing Children Europe and Child Circle serve as focal points.
Get involved.
Image: ©Dani Oshi
SUPPORTING YOUR ADVOCACY
The EU can feel remote from our national policy debates on children in migration.
However, both European and national NGOs can play an important role in shaping European law and policy.
Together, a wide range of organisations can work to promote change, but we need to bring together different goals and experience.
We often have different starting points in our advocacy (e.g. the law and policy on which migrants’ rights and children’s rights organisations focus on can be different). We sometimes have different expertise (e.g. youth welfare vs. expertise on the circumstances for children abroad). We sometimes have different advocacy targets (e.g. child and social ministries vs migration ministries).
The resources from the Initiative for Children in Migration are intended to help connect European and national organisations and allow us to reinforce each other’s advocacy. The resources identify what EU policies are relevant and what measures are under development. They identify the children’s rights which are central to the issues at stake. They provide recommendations for future progress.
How to use the Initiative for Children in Migration resources
Our vision: Always a Child
The vision statement sets out how policymakers should respond to the situation and rights of children in migration, with the aim to:
Make our collective advocacy more effective, by asking consistently for the same things locally, nationally and at European level.
Help us reach out to different stakeholders with different interests or backgrounds (including child rights organisations, migration organisations, youth networks, human rights organisations, social welfare organisations) to inform them of our key objectives.
Image: ©Tdh/Peter Käser
2. Spotlight on the EU
The Spotlight on the EU highlights where EU actions are particularly relevant for children in migration and provides an overview of thematic areas related to children in migration.
The Spotlight on EU connects the key issues for children in migration, EU policies and the UN clusters of rights used by Member States and NGOS in State periodic reporting on the implementation of the UN CRC to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
It supports the rapid development of joint advocacy actions at European level. You can refer to the framework as background, when considering whether to contribute to or sign up to the ongoing joint advocacy action of Initiative For Children In Migration (if you are on the mailing list).
It allows for periodic “state of play” on EU action (Annual Progress reports).
It supports you in calling for better application of certain EU measures and guidance at national level. It also alerts you to changes which may affect the rights of children in migration on national level, in response to EU law or guidance.
It helps you to draw on and hold your government accountable to their child rights obligations (the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child) in your advocacy.
Image: ©Dani Oshi
3. ICM Advocacy Papers and webinars
The Initiative explores priority issues which affect migrant children of different statuses. An advocacy module will be developed for each of these issues and will identify progress to build on and provide policy recommendations on what EU action is needed to address shortcomings. These recommendations will serve organisations at both national and EU level to make a concerted and effective call for change across Europe.
An advocacy module contains:
a short position paper to support advocacy towards decision makers on the topic
a webinar to discuss the recommendations with European and national organisations involved in the Initiative
in some cases, child and youth voices will shape and be included in advocacy actions. The Initiative is engaging a few local youth groups to hear their experiences and recommendations related to some of the priorities of the Initiative. Outcomes will be included in the page for the module for your use
Links to available data/recent research, related policy papers and recommended practices (all collected and shared online for ease of use)
Image: ©Tdh/Blaise Kormann
4. Support for a Number of Small and Targeted National Advocacy Actions.
Some funding was provided to national and local organisations for a small national advocacy action linked to the priorities of the Initiative. For more information check this page.
Image: ©Dani Oshi
5. Promoting the Inclusion of the Voice of Children in Advocacy
The initiative is exploring how to involve children and youth in the development and promotion of advocacy messages. For more information check this page.
Image: ©Dani Oshi