URGENT ACTION

REFUGEE CHILDREN GRANTED REGULAR STATUS 
On 17 December 2021, Peruvian authorities informed Amnesty International that 4,244 children and adolescents had been granted Humanitarian Immigration Status, putting an end to an arbitrary practice condemned months earlier by organizations, that consisted in denying them this migratory status, and therefore access to basic rights, such as education and health. 

NO FURTHER ACTION IS REQUESTED. MANY THANKS TO ALL WHO SENT APPEALS.

In June 2021, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs established new guidelines for the granting and extension of the Humanitarian Immigration Statute (Ministerial Resolution No. 207-2021-RE), a figure that allows asylum seekers to regularize their stay in Peru and obtain the immigration card, a document that identifies foreigners residing in Peru while they await a final response to their refugee claim.

However, in the following months, Peruvian authorities arbitrarily denied children and adolescents the humanitarian immigration status while adults were being granted it. Civil society organizations registered at least 20 children and adolescents who were denied the aforementioned humanitarian immigration status, with no basis on the current regulations. This was discriminatory and put thousands of children and adolescents at risk, preventing them from accessing fundamental rights such as health and education. 

Amnesty International members and supporters took action on social media and sent letters to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oscar Maúrtua De Romaña, calling on the Peruvian state to grant children and adolescents asylum seekers the humanitarian immigration status. On 17 December, the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Amnesty International that 4,244 children and adolescents had been included in the list of asylum seekers and granted humanitarian immigration status, within the scope of Ministerial Resolution 0207-2021-RE. 

Amnesty International will continue to monitor the situation, and campaign for the rights of children and adolescents seeking asylum in Peru.

NAME AND PRONOUN: Refugee children and adolescents (they/them/their)

THIS IS THE SECOND AND FINAL OUTPUT FOR UA 119/21

LINK TO PREVIOUS UA: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/amr46/5033/2021/en/