First I would like to say that I am very happy to be here, and I would like to thank the UNHCR and Save the Children for arranging this workshop on separated children.

In a report published in 1999 unaccompanied minors voice their needs: They wish to have contact with their families, they need friends and adults that care, and they want to go to school. To me, and I assume also to you, these are basic needs for any child. It is our responsibility to offer this to these children coming to our countries.

Unaccompanied minors – a prioritised group
In Norway unaccompanied minors are a prioritised group amongst asylum seekers. For example, asylum applications from unaccompanied minors are given special priority, and these children are also prioritised when it comes to transferring them from the reception centres to proper settlement in a municipality. Unaccompanied minors are given more attention and assistance than other asylum seekers. However, even though I think that, on the whole, Norway takes well care of unaccompanied minors, we have to put more effort into improving their living conditions and judicial rights.

Extensive research on unaccompanied minors
Over the past decade, extensive research on unaccompanied minors in Norway has been undertaken. Projects are for the most part focused on accommodation and settlement. Research shows that it takes too long before unaccompanied minors are transferred from the reception centre and settled in a municipality. Researchers are also asking for more personnel with special qualifications in child welfare. They also point to the fact that unaccompanied minors need more help from the local child welfare services when settled in a municipality, children settled with families need to be followed up extensively and unaccompanied minors need more assistance in establishing social networks and in joining spare time activities.

Guardians and judicial rights
Even though unaccompanied minors are a prioritised group, the handling of asylum cases is slowed down by the difficulties in recruiting guardians. Right now, however, the number of guardians is quite high, because we have run a campaign in order to enlist guardians. More has also to be done when it comes to ensuring the unaccompanied minors´ judicial rights. But we have taken some measures on this matter. Unaccompanied minors are now interviewed in a separate room accommodated for children, and the Directorate of Immigration has just recently employed a person with special qualifications in child welfare to assist in the interviewing of the child.

Reception centres for unaccompanied minors
I have visited several of the reception centres accommodated to unaccompanied minors. These reception centres differ from ordinary reception centres in several respects. Experienced personnel with qualifications in child welfare ensure the daily care of the minors. Efforts are made to employ reception centre personnel of the same ethnic group as the minors. They act as interpreters and they are believed to have a better understanding of the minors' culture, background end experiences. Ethnic personnel are seen as particularly important for the younger minors. Special efforts are made with respect to the unaccompanied minors' health needs, leisure time activities and education. These receptions centres have more personnel on duty at any time, usually 24 hours a day.

Up until November this year we have had one reception centre for unaccompanied minors up to 15 years of age. This reception centre is located in Florø on the West coast. Because most of the unaccompanied minors have relatives in Oslo or in the surrounding area, many of the youngest children have stayed in the transit centres until they are to be transferred to a municipality. However, on the 1 ^st> of November this year a new reception centre for unaccompanied minors under the age of 15 was established close to Oslo. Here the unaccompanied minors can stay from their arrival in Norway until they are settled in a municipality or reunited with their families in their home country. The facilities in this reception centre are accommodated to the needs of young children. To ensure stability and continuity, the staff stays in the reception centre with the unaccompanied minors for a longer period of time.

Around New Year's a new transit centre for unaccompanied minors between 15 and 18 will be established. As for the unaccompanied minors under the age of 15, the facilities in the transit centre will be accommodated to the needs of these youngsters, and they will get more assistance than they get in ordinary transit centres today. It is estimated that they will stay in this transit centre for a month, before being transferred to an ordinary reception centre for unaccompanied minors.

Settlement in municipalities
When settled the municipalities are responsible for the accommodation of minors. Unaccompanied minors with relatives in Norway are settled with these relatives unless this is deemed to be incompatible with the minors' interests. The same integration measures are taken for them as for unaccompanied minors without any relatives in Norway. Unaccompanied minors without any relatives in this country may be settled in foster homes, usually with a family from their own ethnic group or a Norwegian family. Older minors may be settled together in one apartment as a group or singly with supervision of a family nearby.

Alternative arrangements for reception centres and settlement
I believe that the conditions for unaccompanied minors the past few years have improved. However, the Norwegian Government wishes to try out alternative arrangements for reception facilities and settlement. Unaccompanied minors need more individual guiding and assistance and more contact with adults. These children also need more stability and predictability than they get today. We have to ensure that different instances have the necessary qualifications to take care of these children. The government also thinks that more unaccompanied minors ought to live with families than the case is today. A report to present these alternative arrangements is now being drawn up by a project group appointed by the Government. The report is due by the end of this year. The Government has already financed a project by SOS Children's Villages intended to drawing up a model for how to settle unaccompanied minors.

Settlement with relatives
An important issue right now is the situation of unaccompanied minors that settle with relatives. We have to follow up more on these minors. Some measures have already been taken. Documentation on custody or the parents' consent is now required from relatives who want the unaccompanied minor to move in with them. If the unaccompanied minor chooses to move in with his or her relatives without permission, the local child welfare services are to be notified.

New arrangement for appointing guardians
Another important issue that we are working on right now is finding new and improved ways of appointing guardians and determining what responsibility the unaccompanied minor's guardian is supposed to have. It is obvious that the arrangement we have today is inadequate to meet the demands of today's situation.

Education
While waiting for a decision in their case, unaccompanied minors have the same right to education as other minors living in Norway. The youngest are registered with the school authorities of the municipality where they live. They will attend the local primary school as soon as possible. Youth in the 16-18-age bracket may be offered education if they have finished the Norwegian 9-year primary education or similar education. In addition, special education in Norwegian language and in the mother tongue is provided. All education is free.

Record high increase in arrivals of unaccompanied minors
As I said initially, there is a record high increase this year in the arrivals of unaccompanied minors. We do not know why so many unaccompanied minors come to Norway, while our neighbouring countries do not experience the same rise in arrivals. We are concerned about the situation. Therefore, at the same time as we are carrying out integration measures for those who will be staying in Norway, we will also be taking action to reduce the number who try to take advantage of this, by claiming to be younger than they actually are. Age assessment will therefore be carried out.

It is also important to find the parents or other family members of the unaccompanied minors, first of all so that the children are able to establish contact with their parents or other family members, but also because this can be the starting point for family reunification in the country of origin. The Norwegian Directorate of Immigration has financed two projects aimed at establishing contact between unaccompanied minors in Norway and their families abroad. We believe that the best interests of the child are to live with its parents.

The best interests of the child
The situation of the unaccompanied minor is very much in the minds of the Government. In many respects the best interest of the child is a primary consideration. But we have to put more effort into ensuring the child's rights. As I have presented to you, the Government is taking measures in order to improve the situation of unaccompanied minors. These measures are also presented in a report on how to increase the participation in society for children and minors with immigrant background. This report was published in June this year.

Just recently the Government has proposed the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in Norwegian law. This means that legally bound obligations in the UN Convention will take precedence of Norwegian law in cases of conflict. I am very proud of the Government's position in this matter, and I believe this will strengthen the judicial rights of unaccompanied minors and other children that come to Norway.

It is also important to keep in mind that the best interests of the child not necessarily is to stay in our countries, but actually is to live with their parents, wherever they might be. Therefore, we have to focus both on integration measures and on tracing and family reunification in the children's home countries.

Thank you!