The best interest of the child encompasses a child’s physical and emotional safety as well as their right to development. The Best Interest Procedures (BIP) describes tools used to assess and establish the best interest of children facing specific protection risks. These may include a child facing abuse or exploitation, a child without his/her parent or caregiver, and a child who needs family reunification. The tools are also sometimes referred to by their specific titles – Best Interest Assessment (BIA) and Best Interest Determination (BID). This brief provides an overview of BIP and how this could be practically applied to civil/birth registration of children returning from Al-Hol to Iraq.
Key Underpinning Concepts:
The BIP takes into consideration key principles within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Iraq has ratified. These include:
• the best interests of the child;
• the child’s right to participation, i.e. the right of the child to have their views taken into consideration into decisions that affect their life (based on their age and maturity);
• do no harm – ensuring that a child’s survival and development are the priority consideration;
• non-discrimination – BIP applies regardless of nationality, race, guardianship, birth, or a child’s legal status.
Source: UN Children’s Fund