Linking invisibility and vulnerability : strengthening refugee child protection capacity : the case of unaccompanied and separated refugee children from Bhutan living in Nepal

Abstract

The issues of invisibility and vulnerability are troubling phenomenon, particularly when children grow up parentless in protracted refugee camps. More disturbing is that many of these situations go largely unnoticed by the international community. The purpose of this thesis is threefold: (i) to discuss and review the policy protecting refugee children; (ii) to gain an understanding of the overall situation of unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) from Bhutan living in camps in Nepal and, (iii) to initiate discussion around developing strategies to improve the protection and overall services available to children who are separated from their parents or primary caregivers and residing in protracted refugee situations. Thus, the objective of this paper is to highlight the lack of policy concerning UASC residing in a protracted refugee context and, to demonstrate that policy alternatives must be developed to adequately care and protect these children. The data collected from this study will be able to influence policy as well as inform future research and protection strategies in the area of child refugee protection. Additionally, this information is critical to UASC residing in protracted refugee situations, as they remain invisible to policy makers which are why there are inadequacies in the policy addressing this vulnerable group of refugee children. This thesis further discusses whether policy alternatives can be devised to better protect this group of children who are at a heightened risk for abuse and exploitation because of the absence of their first line of protection, their parents or primary caregivers but more importantly, because many of these children continue to be invisible to the people who are responsible for them and in a position to protect them, ultimately, increasing their vulnerability. Therefore, there is a pressing need for more research on this issue, particularly to expose conditions that surround refugee children and other children in comparable situations.

This Masters Dissertation does not represent the official views of UNHCR but is the product of my personal research.