HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION FOR VULNERABLE ASYLUM APPLICANTS

1 – PART 1 – The Portuguese asylum application process for the unaccompanied minors Venetikidou Aikaterini 1 Abstract Portugal is one of the countries that very early on the refugee crisis has taken great in- itiatives to welcome and provide protection to unaccompanied minors. Enriched ap- propriate and protective measures have been added in its legislative framework on the asylum application procedures with its latest revision in 2014. Thus, the research focuses on two main axes; the provision of an overview of the national legal frame- work and the review of the challenges of its implementation. More specifically, the first part of the research focuses on the reviewof related literature, which includes past studies conducted in Portugal and an overviewof the legislation for the asylumproce- dure for unaccompaniedminors. In addition, this part demonstrates significant events that took place during the period this researchwas conducted and are interconnected to this vulnerable group. The second part of the research consists of an empirical case study of the challenges and the good practices during the asylumapplication process for unaccompanied minors derived from testimonies by professionals at the only Re- ception Home for Refugee Children ( Casa de Acolhimento para Crianças Refugiadas - CACR ) specifically designed for asylum-seeking children in Portugal. Lack of birth re- cords, identification or residence documents and their dubious authenticity are some of themain challenges that unaccompaniedminors face during the asylumprocedure in the country. Based on the challenges emerged from the case study, relevant recom- mendations are explored at the end of the second part of the research. 1. Introduction Within a five-years’ time, thousands of refugees and migrants have reached the EU by sea through Greece, Italy and Spain or by land through the borders, a number 1. Venetikidou Aikaterini holds a B.Ed Degree in Primary Education and an MA on “Language Educa- tion for Migrants and Refugees”. Since 2017 she is based in Lisbonwhere she performed an interven- tion on Financial Literacy at the Reception Centre for Refugee Children (CACR) for unaccompanied minors aged 16-18 years old. The intervention’s main objectives were to prepare the unaccompa- nied minors for the stage of supervised autonomy (autonomia de vida), to get familiar with the fi- nancial system and labour system in Portugal and to develop financial management skills.