DEATH

eing held alongside other family members they may see their parents or relatives abused. 205 Findings indicate that even in
youth or juvenile facilities that hold only children, there is a continued risk of abuse, not only from adults but also from the other
detained children. 206 Of 292 ex-detainee children involved in a programme in the West Bank, 98% said that they were subjected
to violence by the Israeli army during their arrest and detention. 207
Within conflict settings in particular, when justice systems are weakened through under investment and lack of regulation, normal rules
of detention are misapplied or not enforced. Standards to ensure the wellbeing of juveniles in the justice system, if they exist at all, are
often not maintained or are disregarded. This leads to an increased likelihood of violence against children in detention. 208
Health problems also have a significant impact on children’s wellbeing during and after detention. Children may incur various injuries
during detention or suffer health concerns. Even in a high-income economy such as Israel, prison health care is under-resourced and
medical support for detainees is basic, leading to long-term health consequences. 209
In addition, child detention has a negative impact on members of their family. In many situations, the detention may lead to family
tensions and negative relations. 210 In some cases the family has to cover the costs of food, drinks and clothes for their children while they
are detained, an economic burden that may create significant challenges during an emergency. 211
WHICH CHILDREN ARE MOST VULNERABLE?
The literature suggests that detained children are predominantly boys. In the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 90% of children
arrested and charged are male. 212 In Davao City, the Philippines, of the 497 children arrested by police between January and June 2002,
83% were boys. 213 Research carried out in the Philippines, covering both conflict-affected and non-emergency settings, shows that the
average age of children in detention was 14.4 years old. The proportion of children in custody increased with age. 214 In one study area in
the Philippines, 60% of children held in detention were not living with their parents when they were arrested, indicating there may be a
correlation between family separation and conflict with the law. 215
URGENCY OF RESPONSE
It is important that children held in detention are not exposed to extreme violence, abuse, exploitation and maltreatment that may be
life-threatening. Negotiating for access to children being held and case management support are the first steps to ensuring their wellbeing.
40 A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: CHILD PROTECTION IN EMERGENCIES