UNICEF says refugee, migrant and stateless children in Malaysia face protection gaps, risking exploitation and lacking access to essential services
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s legal framework protects children but gaps leave refugee, migrant, stateless and undocumented minors exposed to trafficking, exploitation and forced labour, Unicef Malaysia warns.
Deputy representative Sanja Saranovic said the Child Act safeguards all children, while the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 addresses trafficking.
Yet many marginalised children face practical barriers in accessing protection, welfare and justice services.
“These children risk detention due to lack of documentation or legal status.
Limited access to schooling, healthcare and essential social services increases their vulnerability.”
She said Unicef Malaysia has been collaborating with the Social Welfare Department and civil society partners to strengthen social workers’ and child protection personnel’s capacity, aiming to include refugee, migrant, undocumented and stateless children in the national protection framework.
“Addressing the gaps is essential to ensure that every child in Malaysia, especially those most marginalised, is protected and able to thrive.”
As Malaysia prepares for its upcoming review by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) next year, Saranovic urged the government to demonstrate commitment to non-discrimination, central to the Child Act and the CRC.
“At the heart of this principle is a simple idea – before anything else, a child is a child. Every child, regardless of status or origin, has the right to learn, to be safe, to be healthy, to play and to reach their full potential.”
Ensuring these rights for all children, she added, will not only protect the most vulnerable but also strengthen Malaysia as a more inclusive and resilient nation.
