On this International Children’s Rights Day, which is held every year on November 20, the Dijon prefecture has chosen a chilling way to mark the event. This Monday morning, the police burst into a reception home to expel two families rejected from the asylum, each including two children according to the Human Rights League of Dijon. One of these children had just been released from the hospital after an operation. Without providing a rehousing solution and with emergency accommodation systems already saturated as winter approaches, the authorities left these families on the street according to LDH Dijon.
Until recently, faced with the mobilization of associations and collectives, the public authorities prided themselves on wanting to prevent any child from sleeping outside, especially in winter temperatures. But this desire seems to belong to the past according to the LDH. Today, a milestone in dehumanization has been reached. How is it possible for decision-makers to consider that the place of a sick, vulnerable child is to sleep in the cold? The indignation is total.
Faced with this situation, the Dijon Human Rights League and the support collective for asylum seekers and migrants are calling for citizen mobilization. They call on all those who still believe in human solidarity and the basic rights of children to come together to say: no, it is not possible to accept such a situation. The rights of children, regardless of the administrative status of their parents, must be respected and protected.
Some elected officials, alerted by this expulsion, have already contacted the prefecture and are demanding an urgent response. In the meantime, anger is growing among the population and associations who refuse to see four children spend the night in the street, in the freezing cold.
A rally is planned for this Friday, November 22 at 6 p.m., in front of the Dijon prefecture. This demonstration is intended to be a collective cry, a denunciation of injustice, and a call to rediscover our humanity. Because, at this stage, letting children sleep outside is not only abandonment, but also an insult to the values of solidarity and fraternity that are supposed to unite us.
This mobilization is supported by numerous associations, collectives and citizen organizations, which demand that the dignity of each child be respected and that accommodation solutions be immediately found. We cannot remain indifferent to such injustices. Human dignity should never be an option, it must be a right.
Gathering : Friday November 22 at 6 p.m. in front of the Dijon prefecture.
The collective supporting asylum seekers and migrants brings together numerous associations including the Human Rights League, Amnesty International Dijon, Solidaires, SOS Racisme, Cimade, Secours Catholique, and many others. Together, they form a precious chain of solidarity, and today more than ever, this chain calls for the union of all citizens around the values of justice and respect for fundamental rights.
Press release of November 21, 2024:
Celebration of International Children’s Rights Day in Dijon, 4 children put on the street gathering Friday 22nd at 6 p.m.
On this International Child Rights Day of November 20, the prefectural services have found a special way to celebrate it. In the morning, the police arrived by surprise at a reception home to put on the street two families rejected from the asylum with two children each, one of whom had just left the hospital after an operation. No form of shelter had been planned and emergency accommodation systems are already saturated at the start of winter. Until recently, following numerous associative mobilizations, the public authorities declared that they did not want any children on the street and took some account of climatic conditions. You have to believe it’s over. We have reached a level of dehumanization where decision-makers believe that a sick child’s place is to sleep outside when it is freezing.
We call on all human rights defenders, all those who believe even a little in human solidarity, in the basic rights of every child regardless of the administrative situation of their parents to mobilize to say no, It’s not possible to live like this.
Alerted elected officials have contacted the prefecture and we are demanding an urgent response
Gathering this Friday, November 22 at 6 p.m. in front of the Dijon prefecture
Collective supporting asylum seekers and migrants (ACAT Dijon / Action Catholique Ouvrière / AFRANE Bourgogne / AGIR abcd 21 / AIDES Bourgogne Franche Comté / Friends of the Confédération Paysanne / Amnesty International Dijon / APF France Handicap / ATTAC21 / ATMF Dijon / CFDT 21 / CGT 21 / Club Unesco Dijon / CCFD-Terre Solidaire / CNT 21 / Collective of the international reception high school Le Castel / Confédération Paysanne / Confédération Syndicale des Familles / Espace Autogéré des Tanneries / Euphorbe en Illabakan / FCPE / FSU 21 / LVN personalists and citizens / LDH Human Rights League / Maison Phare / MAN / Peace Movement / MRAP / Pastoral Care of Migrants / PNS Bourgogne Mali / RESF 21 / SAF / SNES FSU / SOS Refoulement / SOS Racism / Solidarity / Afghan solidarity / South social health / UJFP / UNEF / la Cimade/Secours catholique Dijon
**How does the Dijon prefecture’s justification for the eviction align with France’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically concerning the best interests of the child and the right to adequate housing?**
## Interview: Children’s Rights Violated on International Children’s Day
**Introduction:**
Welcome to World Today News. Today, we’re discussing a deeply troubling incident that unfolded in Dijon on International Children’s Rights Day. Two families seeking asylum, including four children, one recently discharged from hospital after an operation, were evicted from a reception center with no alternative accommodation provided.
Joining us today are [Guest 1 Name], representative of the Dijon Human Rights League, and [Guest 2 Name], a local community leader involved in supporting asylum seekers.
**Section 1: The Eviction and its Impact**
* **Host:** [Guest 1], can you describe the circumstances surrounding the eviction of these families? What specific actions were taken by the authorities?
* **Host:** [Guest 2], how has the local community reacted to this event? What are the immediate concerns for the wellbeing of these families, especially the children?
* **Host:** Both guests, considering winter is approaching and emergency shelters are already at capacity, what are the potential long-term consequences of leaving these children without shelter?
**Section 2: Legal and Ethical Considerations**
* **Host:** [Guest 1], what legal grounds, if any, does the Dijon prefecture cite for this action? Does it contradict any existing laws or international conventions protecting children’s rights?
* **Host:** [Guest 2], beyond legality, what ethical considerations are at play here? How can a society that claims to uphold human rights justify leaving vulnerable children, especially those requiring medical care, without a safe place to sleep?
**Section 3: The Role of Public Authorities and Citizen Action**
* **Host:** [Guest 1], what specific actions has the Dijon Human Rights League taken in response to this situation? What demands are you making of the authorities?
* **Host:** [Guest 2], how are local organizations and community members mobilizing to support these families? What can individuals do to help?
* **Host:** Both guests, looking forward, what systemic changes are needed to ensure that incidents like this don’t happen again? What can be done to guarantee safe and humane treatment for asylum seekers, particularly children?
**Section 4: A Call to Action and Hope **
* **Host:** [Guest 1], what message would you like to convey to the public about the importance of standing up for the rights of vulnerable individuals?
* **Host:** [Guest 2], despite the gravity of the situation, what gives you hope for the future? How can we build a more compassionate and just society for all?
* **Host:** Thank you both for your insights and for shedding light on this critical issue. We encourage our viewers to learn more about the work of the Dijon Human Rights League and other organizations supporting asylum seekers.
**Closing:**
This story raises serious questions about our collective responsibility to protect children and uphold fundamental human rights. Let us use this moment to reflect on our values and work towards creating a more just and humane world for everyone.
