Children of Migrant Workers: While some 600 children have been granted legal status in the context of a government campaign, hundreds more are slated for deportation. In many cases, they are very young children being raised by single mothers (their fathers have already been deported).

Children of Refugees: Some 100 children, including newborns, are currently being held in detention centers. They are not provided with schooling, physical conditions suitable to proper development or any special treatment.

Unaccompanied Minors: Over the last few years, increasing numbers of unaccompanied minors have been entering Israel. Most are victims of labor trafficking or refugees from countries such as Eritrea and Sudan. While conditions have improved for some such minors, many refugee minors continue to be detained with no special provisions made for their safety or welfare.

Many families are, or have been separated, by the process of detention and deportation. For example, some refugee children are separated from their parents when crossing into Israel. Irrespective of their personal situation, we believe detention of children is unacceptable. Rather, their cases must be handled by the social welfare authorities and a more humane solution found for them.

Solution
Volunteers will provide detained children and families with humanitarian aid and para-legal representation while working to secure their release. Our legal department will file precedent-setting suits on topics such as prevention of deportation, representation of minors and status for children of migrant workers. Advocacy activities will focus on detention and deportation of children of migrant workers while media items and events will bring public attention and concern to the issues.

Objectives

• To conduct at least 12 visits to wings holding children and minors and to plan at least two different recreational activities for detained children.
• To assist 10 families and/or minors in interactions with government agencies on issues of principle and to submit 10 requests for release for our target groups.
• To submit 8-10 petitions.
• To conduct meetings with MP's, initiate a Parliamentary committee meeting and distribute a petition on the topic of deportation of children and families.
• To establish an advocacy group of children of migrant workers and organize a protest.
• To initiate 50 media items, publish one e-newsletter and hold and event for International Children's Day.

This project is supported by the Steinhardt Foundation, The International Foundation, The Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund, the Sigrid Rausing Trust and others.