ASEAN Member States reaffirmed their commitment to fully implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2019. They agreed to remove all barriers that hinder equity, inclusion and quality across all child rights, to strengthen their legal framework to prevent all forms of violence against children, to protect children’s right to clean and safe environment, and to promote universal health coverage for all children. In addition, ASEAN also recognizes that every child is essential and contributes to ASEAN development.
In Thailand, this commitment translated to the national policies by accelerating efforts to promote and fulfil the rights of all children residing in Thailand, including those who migrate with or without their parents. The country’s commitment embedded in their pledges made at the Leaders’ Summit on Refugees in 2016 where Thailand declared their commitment to end detention and use detention as a last resort for migrant children. The commitment was reaffirmed in the International Migration Review Forum in 2022. Thailand submitted the pledges to enable birth registration for all children including migrant children, make a progress towards the achievement of universal health coverage including for migrants, effectively implement alternatives to detention and its measures for migrant children, and promote public perception regarding positive contribution of migrants and end discrimination and stigmatization against them. Moreover, Thailand committed to resolve statelessness, enhance access to education and skills development, especially for forcibly displaced and stateless children, and withdraw the reservations of Thailand to Article 22 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child were made clearly during the Global Refugee Forum in 2023.
At the national level, Thailand articulated these international commitments by establishing the standard operating procedure of alternatives to detention for migrant children, promoting access to education and enhance birth registration for every child. Moreover, Thailand led ASEAN to enhance protection of children by chairing the development of ASEAN Declaration on the Rights of Children in the Context of Migration in 2019 and its Regional Plan of Action in 2021.
While initiatives and efforts have been made to strengthen the protection services for migrant children, some challenges remain. IOM study on the Accessibility of Protection Services for Migrant Children in the Southeast Asia, including Thailand provides comprehensive pictures `on the status and gaps of the protection services for vulnerable children in the context of migration. This study provides practical recommendations to the government on how to enhance services, ensuring that protection approaches uphold and promote best interests of the child, especially in the area of access to legal identity and birth registration, education and social protection. Therefore, this study and publication are also useful for sharing knowledge for the child protection practitioners within Southeast Asia to enhance our joint efforts in promoting children’s rights, especially for children in the context of migration. I look forward to extending this fruitful partnership with IOM.
