University of Tehran Public Law Studies Quarterly 2423-8120 51 3 2021 09 23 The Necessity to Protect Unaccompanied Refugee Children Focusing on the Right to Family Reunification The Necessity to Protect Unaccompanied Refugee Children Focusing on the Right to Family Reunification 1224 1248 82073 10.22059/jplsq.2019.284163.2059 FA Mehriar Dashab Assistant Prof., Department of International Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Allameh Tabataba'i, Tehran, Iran Saeede Mokhtarzade MA. in International Law, Faculty of Humanities, Tehran North Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran Journal Article 2019 06 24 The right to seek asylum recognized as a fundamental human right, encompasses international protection of people seeking asylum. Protection of children's right to asylum, particularly for unaccompanied minors (UAMs) who are at risk of several physical and psychological problems on the forced migration route, is one of the challenging issues. This paper attempts to answer this question that to what extent international refugee law and European refugee law are providing international protection for unaccompanied and separated refugee children? In this study, the rights of asylum-seeking children and particularly their right to family reunification have been examined according to international documents. Further, it deals with recent European Union instruments concerning legalization of protection of UAMs and affirmation of the family reunion right to represent the UAMs best interest principle. Children as the most vulnerable group of refugees are known to be half of the global refugee population, whom never has been included sufficiently in the International Refugee Law instruments. Thus, there is no comprehensive international binding instrument for their protection yet and there is no official definition for UAMs in biding international instruments. Therefore, legislating a comprehensive international convention about their protection is necessary. The right to seek asylum recognized as a fundamental human right, encompasses international protection of people seeking asylum. Protection of children's right to asylum, particularly for unaccompanied minors (UAMs) who are at risk of several physical and psychological problems on the forced migration route, is one of the challenging issues. This paper attempts to answer this question that to what extent international refugee law and European refugee law are providing international protection for unaccompanied and separated refugee children? In this study, the rights of asylum-seeking children and particularly their right to family reunification have been examined according to international documents. Further, it deals with recent European Union instruments concerning legalization of protection of UAMs and affirmation of the family reunion right to represent the UAMs best interest principle. Children as the most vulnerable group of refugees are known to be half of the global refugee population, whom never has been included sufficiently in the International Refugee Law instruments. Thus, there is no comprehensive international binding instrument for their protection yet and there is no official definition for UAMs in biding international instruments. Therefore, legislating a comprehensive international convention about their protection is necessary. https://jplsq.ut.ac.ir/article_82073_9ffa2408b67b095734a28f69e39cbbf1.pdf