The government is being urged to end the detention of asylum-seeking children and speed up decisions on asylum cases by next year.
The Independent Asylum Commission, a group of experts and campaigners, called on the UK Border Agency to “step up” improvements including provision for destitute Zimbabweans unable to return home.
In a report published today, the commission found the government had made limited progress following a two-year inquiry that found the asylum system was “not fit for purpose“.
But the commission also praised “significant steps” including the decision to lift the reservation on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child for asylum-seeking children.
Katie Ghose, a commissioner on the IAC, said that many asylum seekers who had given evidence to the inquiry had experienced “little or no change” to their situation since last year.
“We will judge the UK Border Agency’s sucess not only by what they agree to implement, but also by how that implementation affects real people,” she added.
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