Ralf Roßkopf Livres

Worldwide, 59.5 million people were displaced in 2014, 51 % of which were children under the age of 18. Officially, 34,400 asylum applications were submitted by unaccompanied minors. Due to their particular vulnerability, they pose a particular challenge for their host societies. The study describes the phenomenon of unaccompanied minors and compares the international, European and national standards of protection with the current situation and the legal practice in Austria, Canada, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Poland and the United States. In addition to the overall situation, the following topics are analysed: the application of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, special treatment as a minor, age determination, guardianship, residences status, asylum procedure, accommodation, youth services, livelihood support benefits, medical treatment, schooling, work permit and changes in the protection status when coming of age. Recent developments are identified, and conclusions are drawn regarding further improvements. The study makes an important contribution to highlighting the particular vulnerability of unaccompanied minors even in the face of the enormous challenges which the current refugee situation brings with it.

This study examines both the agents and victims of persecution, focusing on critical issues in contemporary refugee law. Non-governmental and gender-related persecution is a leading topic in national, international, and European political discussions, particularly in the context of harmonizing refugee law. It raises essential questions about how the international community should respond to threats not directly from the State but from office bearers, quasi-State authorities, private agents, and family members. The adequacy of refugee law in protecting women and homosexuals from gender-related persecution is scrutinized, with discussions rooted in moral and legal considerations. The Association for the Study of the World Refugee Problem (AWR) presents findings from international, multidisciplinary research on this topic, outlining various approaches and highlighting insights from international and European law. The study includes analyses of laws and policies from countries such as Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom in separate chapters. While it may not provide definitive answers, it offers valuable background information for those seeking equitable solutions to these pressing issues.

Ziel der Studie ist es, eine wissenschaftlich fundierte Rechtfertigung und Begründung von Gruppenrechten zu liefern. Auf einem festen rechtsphilosophischen Fundament aufbauend wird eine Gruppenrechtskonzeption entwickelt, die aufgrund ihrer Stringenz und Übereinstimmung mit den international anerkannten fundamentalen Gerechtigkeits- und Ordnungsvorstellungen handlungsleitend für die Staatenwelt sein kann. Hierfür ist die Darstellung der verschiedenen Traditionen des Selbstbestimmungs- und Gruppenrechtsgedankens ebenso unerlässlich wie die umfassende Analyse des geltenden internationalen Rechts. Die Studie erhebt den Anspruch, einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Durchdringung der Selbstbestimmungs- und Minderheitenproblematik zu leisten. Sie zeigt auf, dass beide Institute im Grundsatz universal anerkannt sind und ihre rechtliche Existenz nicht länger geleugnet werden kann. Die Anerkennung rechtlicher Existenz bedingt zugleich die Notwendigkeit einer widerspruchsfreien theoretischen Konzeption. Mit der Studie wird gezeigt, dass sich die Aussagen bereits vorliegender internationaler Dokumente zur Selbstbestimmungs- und Minderheitenproblematik in eine ebenso komplexe wie schlüssige Gruppenrechtstheorie einordnen lassen.