Peer-reviewed article
Upholding the right to health of forcibly displaced children in Europe.
Stevens A, Öcek Z, Sargsyan S, Black M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This paper examines the health and wellbeing of approximately 9 million forcibly displaced children living in Europe who have fled conflict, persecution, violence, disasters, and extreme poverty. Despite legal and moral obligations, many European countries fail to adequately protect children's right to health due to underfunded systems, workforce shortages, and discriminatory policies. Displaced children face significant barriers including restrictions on service access, systemic racism in health systems, and language and cultural obstacles. The paper calls for coordinated cross-country action, equitable healthcare and education provision, trauma-informed services, and alternatives to detention to ensure these children's right to health.
Key points
- Europe hosted approximately 9 million forcibly displaced children in 2023 whose health and development are impacted by their migration experiences
- Many European countries are failing to meet legal obligations to uphold children's right to health irrespective of immigration status
- Barriers to care include underfunded health systems, workforce shortages, systemic racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and language and cultural obstacles
- Rising populist radical right politics and anti-immigrant sentiment have led to potentially health-harming immigration policies and practices
- Solutions require equitable healthcare and education entitlements, trauma-informed care, alternatives to detention, and cross-country collaboration
Limitations
This paper is descriptive and policy-focused rather than evaluative; it does not present empirical data or quantitative outcomes demonstrating the effectiveness of specific interventions. The document cannot tell us which particular policy interventions have been tested and shown to work in improving health outcomes for displaced children.
Abstract
In 2023 Europe hosted an estimated 9 million children who had been forcibly displaced from their homes because of conflict, persecution, violence, natural or environmental disasters, climate crisis, human trafficking and extreme poverty. Their experiences pre, during and post migration impact their health, wellbeing and development. Countries across the European Region have a moral and legal duty to uphold the right to health of all children living within their borders, irrespective of immigration status. However, many countries are falling short of delivering on these obligations. The rise in populist radical right politics and anti-immigrant sentiment across the Region has led to an increase in potentially health-harming immigration policies and practices. Challenges to meeting the health needs of displaced children include underfunded health systems, limited specialist services, health and care workforce shortages, and lack of data to inform evidence-based policy and practice. Displaced children are often subjected to restrictions on service entitlements; systemic racism, xenophobia and discrimination in health systems; and language, cultural, social, financial, and administrative barriers to care. Cross-country collaboration is required to address the drivers of forced migration; increase availability of safe and legal routes for refugees; and ensure health systems across the Region have the data, resource and capacity required to respond to the needs of displaced children. Essential policies supporting a child's right to health include: provision of child and family-centred community alternatives to refugee camps and immigration detention; provision of healthcare and education entitlements equitable to children of the host nation; protection of children from violence and exploitation; and delivery of quality and inclusive trauma-informed healthcare that accounts for language needs, cultural diversity and safeguarding risks. With political commitment and coordinated efforts, ensuring the right to health for displaced children is achievable and should be prioritised.