UN Committee Condemns France for 'Systematic Violations' of Migrant Children's Rights

UN Committee Finds Grave and Systematic Violations

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has issued a scathing report, made public on October 16, 2025, concluding that France is responsible for 'grave and systematic violations' of the rights of unaccompanied migrant children. The report states that many of these children are left homeless, deprived of basic care, and forced to live in conditions described as 'degrading' and 'contrary to human dignity'.

While the Committee commended France for initially considering unaccompanied minors as children in need of care and protection, it highlighted significant shortcomings in practice. The findings follow an inquiry conducted by the 18-expert body in October 2023, which investigated the treatment of unaccompanied migrant children in France.

Flawed Age Assessment Procedures Under Scrutiny

A core issue identified by the CRC is France's 'flawed age assessment procedures'. These assessments are often based on 'physical appearance' or 'unreliable medical examinations' conducted 'without the assistance of a trusted adult, legal guardian or lawyer'. This leads to a high number of individuals claiming to be children being wrongly treated as adults, thereby denying them access to the child protection system.

The report notes that while the 'presumption of minority'—treating a claimant as a child until proven otherwise—is applied initially, this protection 'ends prematurely' once an initial age assessment decision is made. Consequently, children mistakenly identified as adults can remain without support for up to 'eight months or longer' until a judicial review. Alarmingly, data indicates that between 50 and 80 percent of initial age assessments are later overturned by judges, confirming that many children were wrongly excluded from protection.

Vulnerable Conditions and Rights Breaches

The consequences of these flawed procedures are severe. Unaccompanied migrant children are left to survive 'on the streets, in parks, or in informal makeshift camps without enough food and drinking water, and with no health care or education'. This situation places them at a 'high risk of being exposed to trafficking, abuse, maltreatment and police violence'. The problem is described as 'widespread and persistent' across France, affecting major cities and border towns.

The Committee also documented cases of unaccompanied children transiting through France to the United Kingdom who are not supported by the French child protection system and live in precarious conditions. Furthermore, some children have been 'detained in airport waiting zones or other border holding centres', a deprivation of liberty deemed 'disproportionate and therefore arbitrary' and harmful to their mental health.

The CRC concluded that France has breached its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, violating a wide range of children's rights, including the rights to healthcare and education, and the prohibition of detention for migration-related reasons and inhuman or degrading treatment. These violations are considered 'grave' due to the 'serious harm and lasting effects on their physical and mental health and development' and 'systematic' due to the State Party's 'repeated failure to implement legal, policy and other measures'.

France's Response and Recommendations

France received the report in March 2025 and has since provided a response, stating its commitment to guaranteeing shelter for unaccompanied children and upholding the principle of the presumption of minority. The government has also cited measures such as the implementation of Act No. 2022-140 on child protection and the adoption of Decrees No. 2023-1240 and No. 2023-1253 to enhance procedures for the placement and care of children. The UN Committee has recommended that France rigorously uphold the presumption of minority and ensure adequate housing, food, and water, preventing any child from living on the streets or in informal camps while awaiting decisions.