This International Human Rights Day, we are inviting members to read a compelling Master’s dissertation by Ambareen Huq (a work-based placement student) shedding light on an often-overlooked group in global asylum seeking: Baby Asylum Seekers (BASs). The study delves into the harsh realities faced by BAS housed in mother and baby units, where reports of inadequate living conditions and breaches of basic human rights were alarmingly common.

The research identifies the systemic failures that have allowed such issues to persist, exposing the critical need for reforms to uphold babies’ rights. One such key issue being the complexity in navigating the blurred lines between devolved and reserved powers in matters such as the management of asylum seekers and the responsibility of housing them. The dissertation highlights the outsourcing of housing services to private companies as a key challenge that often exacerbates these issues, with contingency accommodations (that have since replaced mother and baby units) still failing to meet the standards required under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).  

The paper helpfully concludes by offering recommendations for consideration in the development of Minimum Core Standards for Housing.

To access Ambareen’s full dissertation: click here! 

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