Concerned that continuing armed conflicts, economic destitution and political repression in many countries force thousands of civilians to leave their homeland and risk their lives by crossing borders and seas in unseaworthy boats to seek a safe haven,
Concerned that in the process, their human rights are gravely affected by psychological and physical trauma, harsh, punitive treatment and deprivation of freedom with indefinite detention on isolated onshore and offshore facilities by different countries which are signatories to the various United Nations (UN) Conventions that have been enacted to protect the rights of all human beings, especially those who are vulnerable,
Acknowledging that thousands have lost their lives by drowning in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, many being women and children,
Noting that each country deals with the asylum seekers according to their immigration and border protection laws,
Bearing in mind that all States need to recognise the binding International Conventions on Human Rights, particularly:
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
• The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979) CEDAW
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 of 31/10/2000
• The United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime (2000)
• Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Crime (2004)
THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF WOMEN URGES its affiliated National Councils to bring to the attention of their national governments:
the need for full compliance of existing laws, policies and practices with UN Conventions and other relevant international instruments and standards, particularly in the application of such laws, policies and practices affecting women and children who migrate from their country of origin;
that the best interest of the child shall be the primary consideration in any situation;
the need for women and girls to be protected from gender-based violence;
and that asylum seeking women and children should not be subjected to punitive, arbitrary, indefinite immigration detention but be treated in accordance with the international principles and standards provided by the United Nations, namely the Guidelines on the Applicable Criteria and Guidelines and Standards Relating to the Detention of Asylum seekers and Alternatives in Detention issued by UNHCR and CEDAW General Recommendation 32 on the gender-related dimensions of refugee status, asylum, nationality and statelessness of women and girls, recently issued by the CEDAW Committee in November 2014.
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Source: International Council of Women (ICW-CIF) — 34th General Assembly, Izmir, Republic of Turkey, May/June 2015. Resolution No. 7.
