Romania 18 000 children raised by correspondence

August 30, 2006

Comment: The European public including the Romanian one is often presented with the situation of Romanian children migrating abroad unaccompanied. However, little international attention is paid to the situation of those children who are deprived from their right to parental care because of migration of their parents.

The child’s right to parental care is enshrined in the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international legal instruments, such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The consequences for the children, in case the States fail to ensure such rights are clearly described in the article. Their overall development is harmed and often they come in a concrete and serious vulnerability to abuse, exploitation and trafficking.

But what steps should the Romanian State undertake to ensure the wellbeing of the children mentioned in this article? It can definitely not prohibit its own citizens from leaving the country. It should however invest in improving their living conditions within Romania. It should also seek to provide the necessary care, assistance and follow-up to the children when the parents are not available for them.

The State needs to provide more support to those relatives who take over the care of the child. In addition, the States where the parents are leaving can also play a very important role in ensuring the well-being of these children. A number of measures can be taken by these States to guarantee the rights of migrant workers, including family reunification and regular contacts of the children with their migrant parents.