The Inclusion of the Migrant Children in the Education System of the Republic of Serbia – A Human Rights Lesson
Keywords:
migrants, children, discrimination, inclusion, educationAbstract
The process of enabling the children – regardless of their legal status or objective circumstances – to fulfil the right to education under the same or similar conditions, is being precisely tested in the uncertain times, as is the European migrant crisis that began in 2015. As already proven by numerous instances, the universal value of education justifies its quality as a fundamental human right even in the short term. Education serves the best interests of children, as the most important tool of their inclusion in the society, their window into a better world, as well as a functional therapy in overcoming the traumas which, unfortunately, take place as results of the horrors of war, poverty and concomitant hardships as the primary causes of their forced migration into our country. Consequently, education must not be treated as a less important necessity, which is often the case in situations that require urgent aid to large numbers of people. The implementation of adequate education programs should immediately follow or, ideally, go apace with the provision of the most basic needs: shelter, food (including water), clothing and urgent medical care.
The range of duties of the Republic of Serbia to provide such aid to migrants – and the migrant children in particular – is defined through the international agreements signed by our country. Furthermore, it is a part of an effort to advance our country’s human rights commitment within the global community. Most importantly, there is a positive influence that the inclusion of the migrant children would effectuate in regard to our children and their personal development. Therefore, as the country’s unofficial “representatives” and sincere hosts, the children of Serbia would demonstrate empathy and solidarity. Accordingly, these utmost human values would be learned and developed through direct communication, instead of solely by the agency of educational institutions.
References
Bašić, G. (2014). Mediji i prisilne migracije. Centar za istraživanje etniciteta.
Biro, M., et al. (1995). Psihopatološke karakteristike dece izbeglica u kolektivnom i vankolektivnom smeštaju. Psihologija, (1–2), 173–186.
Ibhawoh, B. (2003). Defining persecution and protection: The cultural relativism debate and the rights of refugees. In Problems of protection: The UNHCR, refugees, and human rights. Routledge.
Krasić, B., Milić, N., & Šahović, V. (2017). Položaj nepraćene i razdvojene dece u Srbiji. Beogradski centar za ljudska prava.
Maljković, I., & Igrački, (2018). Child friendly justice: Educational perspective. In Pravda po meri deteta – tematski zbornik radova međunarodnog značaja. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Nicolai, S., & Hine, S. (2015). Investment for education in emergencies: A review of evidence. Overseas Development Institute.
Tilovska-Kechedji, E. (2018). Protecting the right of children in the immigration movements. In Pravda po meri deteta – tematski zbornik radova međunarodnog značaja. Institut za kriminološka i sociološka istraživanja.
Tomasevski, K. (2003). Education denied: Costs and remedies. Zed Books.
Beogradski centar za ljudska prava. (2018). Ljudska prava u Srbiji 2017: Pravo, praksa i međunarodni standardi ljudskih prava.
European Parliament and Council of the European Union. (2013). Directive 2013/32/EU of 26 May 2013 on common procedures for granting and withdrawing international protection (recast).
German National Contact Point for the European Migration Network. (2017). Migration, integration, asylum: Political developments in Germany 2016 (Annual Policy Report).
Komesarijat za izbeglice i migracije. (2017). Migracioni profil Republike Srbije za 2017. godinu.
Committee on the Rights of the Child. (2005). General Comment No. 6 (2005): Treatment of unaccompanied and separated children outside their country of origin (CRC/GC/2005/6).
Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja Republike Srbije. (2017a). Obrazovanje učenika izbeglica/tražilaca azila u Republici Srbiji.
Ministarstvo prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja Republike Srbije. (2017b). Stručno uputstvo za uključivanje učenika izbeglica/tražilaca azila u sistem obrazovanja i vaspitanja (br. 601-00-00042/2017-18, 5. maj 2017).
Pokrajinski zaštitnik građana – ombudsman. (2015). Pravo na ličnog pratioca kao dodatna obrazovna, zdravstvena i socijalna podrška detetu i učeniku.
Pokrajinski zaštitnik građana – ombudsman. (2018). Godišnji izveštaj za 2017. godinu.
Školska uprava Novi Sad. (2017). Službena beleška o sastancima u JLS Opština Šid (7. septembar 2017).
Školska uprava Novi Sad. (2018). Službena beleška: Uključivanje u formalno obrazovanje dece izbeglica/migranata i tražilaca azila u školskoj 2018/2019. godini.
UNESCO. (1994). The Salamanca statement and framework for action on special needs education.
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (2016). Propuštanje: Obrazovanje izbeglica u krizi.
UNICEF. (2016). Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children.
UNICEF. (2017). Education uprooted.
Republic of Serbia. (2016). Uredba o načinu uključivanja u društveni, kulturni i privredni život lica kojima je odobreno pravo na azil (Službeni glasnik RS, br. 101/2016, 56/2018).
Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. (1964). Uredba o ratifikaciji Konvencije o borbi protiv diskriminacije u prosveti (Službeni list SFRJ – Međunarodni ugovori, br. 4/64).
Republic of Serbia. (2007). Zakon o azilu (Službeni glasnik RS, br. 109/2007).
Republic of Serbia. (2018). Zakon o azilu i privremenoj zaštiti (Službeni glasnik RS, br. 24/2018).
Republic of Serbia. (2017). Zakon o osnovama sistema obrazovanja i vaspitanja (Službeni glasnik RS, br. 88/2017, 27/2018).
Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. (1971). Zakon o ratifikaciji Međunarodnog pakta o ekonomskim, socijalnim i kulturnim pravima (Službeni list SFRJ, br. 7/71).
Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. (1990). Zakon o ratifikaciji Konvencije Ujedinjenih nacija o pravima deteta (Službeni list SFRJ – Međunarodni ugovori, br. 15/90; Službeni list SRJ – Međunarodni ugovori, br. 4/96, 2/97).
Republic of Serbia. (2009). Zakon o zabrani diskriminacije (Službeni glasnik RS, br. 22/2009).
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors retain copyright over their published works and grant the publisher a non-exclusive right to publish the article, to be identified as its first publisher in cases of reuse, and to distribute it in all forms and media. The articles will be distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution International (CC BY 4.0) license, unless otherwise stated.
