Concerns persist over lone refugee children in Switzerland

The number of unaccompanied young asylum seekers has risen ten-fold in recent years. © Keystone / Christian Beutler

An anti-torture watchdog has again highlighted the dangers posed to young asylum seekers who come to Switzerland unaccompanied by adults.

The National Commission for the Prevention of Torture (NCPT) has repeated calls for policy changes at Swiss asylum centres.

On Monday, the commission warned that a lack of dedicated staff and correct documentation has heightened the risk of abuse against vulnerable lone refugee children.

The number of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in Switzerland has risen ten-fold since 2020, says the NCPT.

Between December 2021 and 2022, the number rose from 389 to 1,755 – of which, 43 were girls, who are more vulnerable to abuse.

In compiling its report this year, the NCPT conducted 17 visits to Swiss asylum centres between February 2021 and October 2022.

In response to the criticism, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) said it struggled to find enough staff to cope with rising numbers of asylum seekers.

Specialist staff at times have the responsibility of looking after up to 100 children in centres.

Last year, Switzerland received 24,500 asylum requests, a leap of 64% on 2021. This excludes some 75,000 Ukrainian refugees, who received a special protection status through an accelerated registration process.

SEM says the number of asylum seekers this year could vary anywhere between 27,000 and 45,000 depending on events worldwide.

Controversial asylum centre

The treatment of refugees in Switzerland has at points been at the centre of controversy amid claims of abuses at asylum centres. In 2021, an independent investigation was launched to look into the allegations.

In a separate development on Monday, Swiss Justice Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider visited the controversial asylum centre of Boudry in northwest Switzerland.

The centre has reduced occupancy from a high of 800 last autumn to 415 asylum seekers in March.

Faced with an overwhelming increase in refugees, Switzerland has been converting military facilities and other buildings into makeshift accomodation centres.