Proposed Law to Protect Unaccompanied Minors and Combat Homelessness

This proposed French law establishes a presumption of minority for unaccompanied foreign minors present on French territory, meaning that in cases of doubt about a person's age, they are to be treated as a minor until proven otherwise. This represents a significant shift in the legal burden of proof, offering stronger protections to vulnerable young migrants. The bill reinforces the rights of these individuals to emergency provisional reception and access to education. These guarantees ensure that unaccompanied minors are not left without shelter or schooling while their status is being determined by authorities. Notably, the legislation bans the use of bone X-rays, dental examinations, and assessments of pubertal development as methods for determining a person's age. These radiological and physical tests have been widely criticized by medical and human rights organizations as scientifically unreliable and potentially harmful or invasive. Overall, the law aims to strengthen France's child protection framework for unaccompanied foreign minors and addresses homelessness risks faced by this population by ensuring access to emergency housing and social services from the moment of arrival.

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