To address the severe health impacts of immigration detention, WHO/Europe – in collaboration with the International Detention Coalition (IDC) and the Collaborating Centre on Migration and Health Data and Evidence at Uppsala University, Sweden – is inviting representatives of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region and other partners to a 2-day in-person workshop. The workshop will be hosted by the Ministry of Health, the Secretary of State for Integration and Migration, and the High Commission for Migration of Portugal in Lisbon, Portugal.
The workshop aims to:
- present evidence on the health challenges of refugees and migrants in immigration detention facilities across Europe and central Asia;
- explore successful approaches in mitigating poor health in immigration detention; with a focus on how alternatives to detention can contribute to reducing the negative health outcomes of detention and improve well-being;
- discuss the potential of and best practices around alternatives to detention, including small pilot projects; and
- facilitate exchange between different national and international stakeholders, as immigration detention and its health impacts require a whole-of-government and whole-of-society response beyond just the health sector.
Immigration detention is harmful for health
A report by WHO/Europe finds that immigration detention can have a severe impact on migrants’ health, especially their mental health, during and after release from detention. Over the last few years, immigration detention has increasingly been used as a tool to manage migration flows in the WHO European Region. To protect the health of refugees and migrants, alternatives to detention should always be prioritized over detention measures, which can be akin to prison.
If immigration detention is used, its effects can be mitigated through appropriate training of staff, safeguarding measures, provision of psychological support, and provision of tools to maintain health and prevent the spread of communicable diseases.