The global refugee problem is a complex one, but the detention of children in offshore camps is not the answer.
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Current government policy contravenes United Nations policy with regard to detention of refugees. As a result, children who are already vulnerable as refugees are suffering.
The children who are detained are not terrorists or criminals. The families who are raising these children cannot return to their homes or homeland because of the risk to them and their children. The trauma, self-harm, suicidal behaviour and mental illness are getting worse with each day these children are detained. These children have witnessed self-harm, suicide and severe mental illness amongst the refugees detained on Nauru.
As reported in The Guardian newspaper in 2016, 2000 leaked government incident reports revealed the extent of abuse of refugees on Manus and Nauru. More than half of these reports relate to children - including assault, sexual abuse and self-harm.
The Australian Medical Association have defined the issue as a child health issue as well as a human rights issue, writing to the Prime Minister to advocate for their release as the children’s mental and physical health is deteriorating rapidly and they have inadequate access to medical care on Nauru.
The Australian Government has placed the refugee children on Nauru and is responsible for their care. The Australian Government has created the conditions for, and is condoning, this appalling mistreatment of children and violation of human rights.
The only just solution is for the Australian Government to immediately bring all of the refugee children, and their families, from Nauru to Australia and to then resettle them - either in Australia or in another country that welcomes them.
World Vision Australia, Amnesty International Australia and more than 30 other humanitarian organisations have come together to call on the Australian government to get all of the children off Nauru. You can sign the petition at https://www.kidsoffnauru.com
The number of children on Nauru has been falling as more and more are brought to Australia as urgent medical evacuations. The remainder should be brought to Australia as quickly as possible - before they deteriorate to the point of needing medical evacuation.
There is currently a bill before parliament co-sponsored by Adam Brandt, Rebekha Sharkie and Andrew Wilkie, to bring all children and their families from Nauru to Australia. To date, neither the Coalition or Labor have indicated any support for this bill.
It is imperative that we bring all children and their families from Nauru to Australia to prevent further psychological suffering and mental illness. Once here, it is also essential that they be housed in the community and not in on-shore detention facilities which would only perpetuate their psychological trauma.
You can take action by contacting your local Member of Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Minister for Immigration, and the Leader of the Opposition, and urging them to support this bill and to bring all of the asylum seeker and refugee children and their families from Nauru to Australia immediately.