‘Children’s Rights, ‘Foreign Fighters’, Counter-Terrorism: Children of Nowhere’ is authored by Professor Devyani Prabhat (University of Bristol Law School), Rumyana van Ark (T.M.C. Asser Institute, University of Amsterdam) and Associate Professor Faith Gordon (ANU College of Law, The Australian National University).
Presenting innovative interdisciplinary work in the field, the book highlights how an increasingly high number of returning foreign fighters – and by proxy their children – are being refused re-entry to their country of primary citizenship, leading to a significant number of children trapped in conflict regions.
Incorporating data from a broad range of scholarship and empirical sources, the authors outline linkages between counter-terrorism knowledge, policy, and practice, as well as child rights and counter-terrorism law. They argue that to foster the growth and development of children it is imperative to remove all stains of criminality and support their repatriation.
Exploring issues of nationality rights and statelessness, the chapters examine the cancellation of citizenship as a strategy of preventative counter-terrorism, while dissecting relevant cases across Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.
“A large number of children with foreign nationality are in camps in Syria and Iraq with little or no access to basic necessities such as hygienic conditions of living, sanitation, food and education. They are unable to leave conflict areas despite having primary citizenship links to other countries which are wealthy and safe. Countries in Europe, North America or Australasia are unwilling to bring back children whose parents may be Islamic state fighters. The children may have travelled to the conflict areas with their parents or been simply born there.
“This book was written to demonstrate the legal obligations the ‘Western’ countries have towards these children both from citizenship rights and human rights perspectives. Instead of viewing the children as potential offenders or re-offenders, it is essential to support their wellbeing, safety and full development starting with the repatriation of these children from the conflict areas and camps.”
– Professor Devyani Prabhat
This cutting-edge book is essential for academics in human rights, terrorism and security law, humanitarian law, public law, international child law, family law, and migration and citizenship. Its comparative and international coverage of child rights and counter-terror measures will also benefit national security and human rights practitioners.