Who protects whom? An Analysis of Non-Governmental Organisations as Policy Frame Entrepreneurs Protecting the Best Interests of Children on the Move in the European Union

Abstract

Migrant children represent a significant share of the migrant and refugee population; one in every eight migrants around the world is a child. Due to their vulnerability, they are continuously exposed to violence, abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. In the European Union, the number of children on migration in search of a safe haven has increased dramatically, particularly between 2015 and 2016; nevertheless children arriving at the Union, many of whom are unaccompanied, are subjected to illegal detentions, returned to their countries of origin, and other forms of violation of their human rights. NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) in the EU focused on migration and child protection have been advocating for a more effective protection of the human rights of children on the move within the European Union. They have mainly done it by engaging in efforts towards promoting policy innovations on how to understand the protection of children on the move. This thesis explores the role of Non-Governmental Organisations as policy frame entrepreneurs on the protection of human rights of children on the move in the European Union policymaking. It does so through framing analysis of five NGOs corpora; Save the Children, Eurochild, Defence for Children International, Caritas Europa, and Terre des Hommes...