The Rights of Children on the Move and the Budapest Declaration

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Humanitarian Studies
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Over 50 million children and youth are displaced globally, including refugees, asylum seekers, and trafficked children.
• These children often lack state and familial protection, rendering them "stateless" and vulnerable.
• The abstract reflects on experiences in Middle East refugee camps, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the prevalence, demographics, and plight of displaced children and youth.
• To examine existing international conventions, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
• To present the ISSOP Budapest Declaration as a framework for improving care and driving change for mobile children.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative approach based on personal reflections from work in refugee camps.
• Review of existing literature on child displacement and international conventions.
• Summary and analysis of the ISSOP Budapest Declaration.

Main Results:

• Significant global population of displaced children and youth facing severe vulnerabilities.
• Inadequacy of current legal and social structures to protect these children.
• The ISSOP Budapest Declaration offers a comprehensive framework for rights, health, and well-being.

Conclusions:

• Urgent need for improved international and national strategies to protect displaced children.
• The Budapest Declaration provides a vital roadmap for enhancing the care and rights of children on the move.
• Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for addressing the complex needs of this vulnerable population.