Diese Arbeit, die auf persönlichen Erfahrungen als Asylbewerber in Deutschland basiert, fokussiert sich auf die sozioökonomische Integration von schwarzafrikanischen Asylbewerber:innen, d.h. mit einer Aufenthaltserlaubnis nach § 55 des deutschen Asylgesetzes, und von geduldeten Migrant:innen, d.h. mit einem Duldungsstatus nach § 60a des deutschen Aufenthaltsgesetzes. Die Arbeit untersucht ihre Teilnahme an deutschen Integrationskursen und ihren Zugang zu Arbeitserlaubnissen in den sechzehn Bundesländern, die von der Ausländerbehörde und der Bundesagentur für Arbeit streng kontrolliert werden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Personen einer wirtschaftlichen Tätigkeit nachgehen, um ihren Lebensunterhalt in Deutschland zu bestreiten als auch um Familienangehörige in ihren Heimatländern zu unterstützen. Methodisch bedient sich die Arbeit eines Methodenmix, der ethno-soziogeographische Instrumente zur Datenerhebung, -verarbeitung und -analyse einsetzt. Zwischen 2016 und Juni 2021 wurden zwanzig Einzelfallstudien, dreihundert halbstrukturierte Fragebögen, sechs Fokusgruppendiskussionen mit der Zielgruppe und deutschen Beamten des Gerichts und der Ausländerbehörde sowie zwei Experteninterviews mit Abgeordneten deutscher Parlamente durchgeführt. Zu den aufgedeckten wirtschaftlichen Aktivitäten gehören der Drogenhandel, das Ausliefern von Zeitungen, informeller Streetfood-Verkauf, Friseurhandwerk, der Handel und das Testen auf Corona. Da informelle (illegale, halblegale und kriminelle) Wirtschaftspraktiken als Einstieg in den Arbeitsmarkt und als Reaktion auf die begrenzten Möglichkeiten der deutschen Behörden häufig genutzt werden, schließt die Arbeit mit der Aufforderung an die politischen Entscheidungsträger, den derzeitigen sozioökonomischen Integrationsrahmen für diese beiden Kategorien von Migrant:innen in Deutschland dringend zu überdenken. / This thesis, based on personal experience as an asylum seeker in Germany, focuses on the socio-economic integration of Black African asylum seekers, i.e. with a residence permission § 55 of the German Asylum Act, as well as tolerated migrants, i.e. with a toleration status § 60a German Residence Act. The thesis sheds light on their participation in German integration courses and their access to work permits across the sixteen German states, which are subject to strict regulations by the Foreigner Registration Office and the Federal Office of Work. The findings reveal that individuals engage in economic activities to financially sustain themselves within the territory and also to support family members in their home countries. Methodically, the thesis employs mixed methods, utilizing ethno-sociogeographical tools for data acquisition, processing, and analysis. Between 2016 and June 2021, the thesis conducted twenty individual case studies, three hundred semi-structured questionnaires, two expert interviews with members of German parliaments, six focus group discussions with the target group and German officials from the court, the Foreigner registration office. The economic activities uncovered include drug dealing, newspaper delivery, informal street food selling, hairdressing, trading, and COVID-19 testing. As there is a massive use of informal economic practices (illegal, semi-legal, and criminal) as entry point to the job market and as a response to limited opportunities provided by the German authorities, the thesis concludes with a call to policymakers to urgently reconsider the current socio-economic integration framework for this two categories of migrants in Germany.

Is it possible to conceive of migrants as active stakeholders of migration and asylum policies rather than passive objects of political and humanitarian intervention? In the public discourse on migration, migrants' voices are largely ignored and their political future in the reception country is often that of ascribed muteness and disenfranchisement. Yet, migrants have a voice, a history, a context, and therefore, potential aspirations to a political existence. In this dissertation, I propose an empirical study of the migratory journeys that occurred during what has been known as "the summer of migration," which described the incoming of migrants via the Aegean Sea and through the Western Balkans to Germany and the rest of Northern Europe. Based on field observations in initial reception centers for asylum seekers in Hamburg and semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan who came to Germany between 2015 and 2016, this dissertation proposes an analytical framework that provides a critical approach to the migration management regime and migrants migratory journey narratives. The claim of this dissertation is double. First it argues that it is analytically necessary to systematize the production of immanent knowledge about migrants' journeys through their own subjectivities. Such a perspective enables a deeper understanding of the impact of human mobility on state sovereignty, borderscapes and the workings of the migration management regime. Second, it is equally necessary to politically contribute to the normalization of integrating migrants' voices in the public debate and discourse to address oppressive practices of migration management and control. / Ph. D. / Is it possible to conceive of migrants as active stakeholders of migration and asylum policies rather than passive objects of political and humanitarian intervention? In the public discourse on migration, migrants’ voices are largely ignored and their political future in the reception country is often that of ascribed muteness and disenfranchisement. Yet, migrants have a voice, a history, a context, and therefore, potential aspirations to a political existence. In this dissertation, I propose an empirical study of the migratory journeys that occurred during what has been known as “the summer of migration,” which described the incoming of migrants via the Aegean Sea and through the Western Balkans to Germany and the rest of Northern Europe. Based on field observations in initial reception centers for asylum seekers in Hamburg and semi-structured interviews with fifteen participants from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan who came to Germany between 2015 and 2016, this dissertation proposes an analytical framework that provides a critical approach to the migration management regime and migrants migratory journey narratives. The claim of this dissertation is double. First it argues that it is analytically necessary to systematize the production of immanent knowledge about migrants’ journeys through their own subjectivities. Such a perspective enables a deeper understanding of the impact of human mobility on state sovereignty, borderscapes and the workings of the migration management regime. Second, it is equally necessary to politically contribute to the normalization of integrating migrants’ voices in the public debate and discourse to address oppressive practices of migration management and control.

Yes / Current literature has indicated a concern about standards of maternity care experienced by pregnant women who are seeking asylum. As the next generation of midwives, it is important that students are educated in a way that prepares them to effectively care for these women. To understand how this can be achieved, it is important to explore what asylum seeking means to midwifery students. This article is the first of three parts and reports on one objective from a wider doctorate study. It identifies dominant discourses that influenced the perceptions of a group of midwifery students' about the pregnant asylum seeking woman. The study was designed from a social constructivist perspective, with contextual knowledge being constructed by groups of people, influenced by underpinning dominant discourses, depending on their social, cultural and historical positions in the world. In a United Kingdom University setting, during year two of a pre-registration midwifery programme, eleven midwifery students participated in the study. Two focus group interviews using a problem based learning scenario as a trigger for discussion were conducted. In addition, three students were individually interviewed to explore issues in more depth and two students' written reflections on practice were used to generate data. Following a critical discourse analysis, dominant discourses were identified which appeared to influence the way in which asylum seekers were perceived. The findings suggested an underpinning ideology around the asylum seeker being different and of a criminal persuasion. Although the pregnant woman seeking asylum was considered as deserving of care, the same discourses appeared to influence the way in which she was constructed. However, as the study progressed, through reading alternative sources of literature, some students appeared to question these discourses. These findings have implications for midwifery education in encouraging students to challenge negative discourses and construct positive perceptions of asylum seeking.

Women refugees suffer from high levels of abuse, discrimination, and sexual and gender-based violence. This paper aims to determine what factors account for different levels of state commitment to protections for women refugees. Existing literature suggests a connection between states’ concern for gender equality and ethical treatment of women, and their commitment towards the protection of women refugees. A content analysis of the Beijing Declaration 25+ national reports, along with the World Health Organization, United Nations, and other similar reports, seeks to further explore this connection. In doing so, this study examines three categories: states’ stated intentions or concerns, state norms (laws), and incidence (statistics) of ill-treatment or discrimination of women. The analysis focuses particularly on national policies revolving around sexual and gender-based violence, laxity of laws or law enforcement when it comes to gender-based violence or rape, women being trafficked, domestic violence, and cultural attitudes towards rape, among other defining factors. A series of case studies of countries that are top recipients of refugees, and their neighbors, round up the analysis portion of the paper. Findings indicate a telling connection between protections of women refugees and states’ general commitment to broader protections for women.

Thesis (MA (Political Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is a study of the South African government‘s response toward Zimbabwean immigration, focusing on the period from 2000 to July 2009. The aim is to shed light on why the government has acted in the manner that it has, using a human security framework. South Africa‘s legal obligations under international, regional, and domestic law are investigated and the ethical debate concerning issues of entrance and borders is explored. Concepts of morality, universality, and human dignity are central to this discussion. Against this backdrop, the Zimbabwean migration is briefly analysed in terms of push and pull factors and numbers; and the legal debate concerning the classification of Zimbabweans is explored. The challenges Zimbabweans face in South Africa and how the government has dealt with the Zimbabwean immigration is covered. Key actors from civil society and government are interviewed in an attempt to engage opinions about the government‘s response. The main opinions as to why the government has responded in the manner it has are then discussed and other factors are considered. Issues of solidarity, land reform, and South Africa‘s involvement in the Zimbabwean mediation process are some of the factors considered. The conclusion of this study is that the South African government has not succeeded in meeting its legal obligations nor acted ethically concerning Zimbabwean immigrants. The particular sentiments of ex-president Thabo Mbeki, the solidarity amongst national liberation movements, regional considerations, and the capitalist interests of some South Africans are factors that carry the most weight in explaining the South African government‘s response to the Zimbabwean crisis and its subsequent migrants. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis is 'n studie van die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se reaksie op die immigrasie van Zimbabwiërs na Suid-Afrika, met die klem op die tydperk tussen 2000 en Julie 2009. Die doel is om lig te werp op die regering se optrede in dié tydperk aan die hand van 'n menslike veiligheidsnetwerk. Suid-Afrika se regsverpligtinge onder internasionale, streek- en plaaslike reg, sowel as die etiese debat rakende kwessies soos die binnekoms van immigrante en grense, word ondersoek. Konsepte van moraliteit, universaliteit en menslike waardigheid , staan sentraal tot hierdie bespreking. Teen hierdie agtergrond word die Zimbabwiese migrasie kortliks ontleed in terme van die stukrag-en-trefkrag faktore en getalle; en word die regsdebat oor die klassifisering van Zimbabwiërs onder die loep geneem. Die uitdagings wat Zimbabwiërs in Suid-Afrika in die gesig staar en hoe die regering Zimbabiese immigrasie hanteer het, word bekyk. Onderhoude is gevoer met sleutelspelers in die burgerlike samelewing en die regering in ‗n poging om agter die kap van die byl te kom met betrekking tot die regering se reaksie op Zimbabwiese immigrasie. Die belangrikste standpunte ten opsigte van die regering se optrede word dan bespreek in die lig van faktore soos solidariteit, grondhervorming, en Suid-Afrika se betrokkenheid by die Zimbabwiese mediasieproses. Die gevolgtrekking van hierdie studie is dat die Suid-Afrikaanse regering nie daarin geslaag het om sy regsverpligtinge na te kom nie, en nie eties korrek opgetree het nie met betrekking tot Zimbabwiese immigrante. Die sentimente van oudpres. Thabo Mbeki, die solidariteit onder die nasionale bevrydingsbewegings, en die kapitalistiese belange van sekere Suid-Afrikaners, is van die belangrikste faktore aan die hand waarvan die Suid-Afrikaanse regering se reaksie op die Zimbabwiese immigrasie-krisis verklaar word.

La problématique des réfugiés fait partie du cadre plus large des politiques migratoires et de la migration internationale en général. Étant un pays d’immigration, le Canada a dû composer avec plusieurs vagues migratoires et s’y adapter en changeant sa politique d’immigration (au niveau fédéral et provincial) en définissant, en termes numériques, les objectifs annuels d’admission des immigrants (le nombre souhaité d’immigrants), ainsi que les objectifs politiques, humanitaires, économiques et démographiques à long terme. Le groupe visé par le présent rapport (les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés) se distingue de toute autre catégorie d’immigration par la spécificité de sa condition - une fuite involontaire et une absence de protection des autorités nationales de leur pays. Au plan international et dans le cadre de la politique canadienne, un réfugié: « l’individu qui fuit la persécution » devient un «demandeur d’asile » au moment de faire face à un processus de reconnaissance du statut de réfugié, conforme aux définitions, aux lois et à la politique d’immigration canadiennes. Les étapes de ce processus sont importantes, parce qu’elles établissent une continuité de la demande d’asile, mais aussi parce qu’elles influencent la comptabilisation et les statistiques sur les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés. Les données de Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada figurent parmi les rares sources disponibles donnant à la fois des informations sur les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés. Cette population au Canada est mal connue et assez difficile à décrire à cause de la faiblesse des statistiques. Du point de vue démographique, une meilleure connaissance du nombre et de l’évolution des immigrants de la catégorie « demandeur d’asile » ou « réfugié », ainsi que de leurs caractéristiques sociodémographiques (sexe, âge, scolarité, connaissances linguistiques, pays d’origine, etc.) aide à cerner leurs besoins en services et à leur fournir des politiques adéquates d’intégration à la culture et à la vie canadiennes. / The problem of refugees is part of the broader framework of migration policies and international migration in general. As a country of immigration, Canada has had to deal with several waves of migration and to adapt its immigration policy (at the federal and provincial level) by defining, in numerical terms, the annual targets for the admission of immigrants (the desired number of immigrants), as well as its political, humanitarian, economic and demographic objectives. The target group for this report (the asylum seekers and refugees) differs from any other category of immigration by a specific condition – an inadvertent leak and a lack of protection from the national authorities of their country. At the international level and in the context of Canadian politics, a refugee: “the individual who is fleeing persecution” becomes an “asylum seeker” when engaging a process of recognition of refugee status, consistent with the Canadian immigration policy. The steps involved in this process are important because they establish continuity in the application process for asylum, but also because they influence the accounting and statistics on asylum seekers and refugees. The data from Citizenship and Immigration Canada are among the few sources available that provides indication on both asylum seekers and refugees. From a demographic point of view, a better knowledge of the number and the evolution of the immigrants of the category “asylum seeker” or “refugee”, as well as of their sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, education, language skills, country of origin, etc.) help to identify their needs in services and to provide them with adequate policies of integration to Canada.

La crise du droit d’asile au sein de l’Union Européenne fait aujourd’hui l’objet de préoccupations récurrentes. En plus de celle-ci, les personnes qui recherchent une protection dans l’ « espace de liberté, de sécurité et de justice » de l’Union, se trouvent face à une autre crise, celle du droit à l’asile. A partir de ce constat, il est apparu pertinent de s’interroger sur les droits des demandeurs d’asile dans le cadre du régime d’asile européen commun (RAEC). Plus précisément, il s’agit de l’étude de l’effectivité des droits confrontés aux obstacles d’accès à l’Union Européenne et aux procédures d’asile de ses Etats membres, des droits liés à la procédure d’examen des demandes d’asile et des droits dont les personnes disposent pendant cet examen. La protection de ces droits, en plus du problème traditionnel de la mise en oeuvre des engagements internationaux au niveau national, a été confrontée à un nouveau régime régional ainsi qu’à une harmonisation ambiguë. A travers l’étude des droits, cette recherche vise à démontrer les causes de la crise et à proposer éventuellement des solutions orientées vers le respect du Droit International pour sortir de celle-ci, afin de contribuer à l’amélioration de la condition des demandeurs d’asile dans l’espace européen. A cet effet, notre approche est également comparatiste car l’examen des deux exemples concrets sert d’outil d’analyse, de réflexion et enfin d’évaluation du RAEC, qui a commencé à répartir les charges au sein de l’Union Européenne par le mécanisme de Dublin avant que les procédures d’examen des demandes d’asile ainsi que les conditions d’accueil dans les Etats membres aient été harmonisées. Une analyse de droit comparé entre deux Etats membres, en l’espèce la France et la Grèce, nous semble en effet s’imposer, afin de démontrer les enjeux actuels de l’harmonisation européenne en matière d’asile et d’éclairer les défis de la protection des droits. / The crisis of asylum law within the European Union is currently the subject of recurring concerns. In addition to that, people who seek protection in the "area of freedom, security and justice" of the European Union, face another crisis, that of the right to asylum. Following this observation, it seems relevant to consider the rights of asylum seekers under the Common European Asylum System (CEAS). More specifically, we study the effectiveness of rights before the obstacles of access to the European Union and its Member States’ asylum procedures, the rights related to the procedure for examining asylum applications and the rights accorded during this examination. The protection of these rights, in addition to the traditional problem of the implementation of international commitments at national level, was faced with a new regional system as well as an ambiguous harmonization. Through the study of human rights, this research aims to demonstrate the causes of the crisis, to propose possible solutions oriented to the respect of international law and contribute to the improvement of the status of asylum seekers in the European space. To this end, our approach is also comparative because the examination of two concrete examples is useful for analysis, reflection and finally evaluation of the CEAS, which began to distribute the burden in the European Union by the Dublin mechanism before the examination procedures and reception conditions in the member states have been harmonized. A comparative law analysis between two member states, France and Greece, it seems to be necessary in order to demonstrate the current challenges of European harmonization on asylum and illuminate the challenges of rights’ protection.Keywords :

Définie comme droit national puis comme droit communautaire depuis l’adoption de la Convention de Dublin en 1990 par les États membres, la politique d’asile de l’Union européenne est devenue indissociable de sa politique migratoire. Le contexte des arrivées massives d’exilés dans l’Union européenne au cours des années 2010 a permis à l’UE de renforcer l’intégration de la demande d’asile dans une politique sécuritaire en la hiérarchisant, la catégorisant et en renforçant l’externalisation de son traitement. Cependant, en confirmant le mécanisme « Dublin » qui appelle à la solidarité des États membres dans la prise en charge des demandeurs d’asile, l’Union européenne, qui formait jusque-là un bloc unifié institutionnellement autour des valeurs des droits de l’Homme et de la démocratie, est désormais traversée par des conflits qui laissent ouverte la question de l’intégration et du rejet des demandeurs d’asile et qui révèlent une crise plus large. / Defined as national law and then as Community law since the adoption of the Dublin Convention in 1990 by the Member States, the asylum policy of the European Union has become inseparable from its migration policy. The context of the mass influx of exiles into the European Union in the course of 2010 has allowed the EU to strengthen the integration of asylum demand into a security policy by prioritizing, categorizing and strengthening the outsourcing of its treatment. However, by confirming the « Dublin » mechanism which calls for the solidarity of the Member States in the care of asylum seekers, the European Union, which until then formed an institutionally unified blocaround the values of the human rights and democracy, is now crossed by conflicts that leave open the question of integration and rejection of asylum seekers and reveal a wider crisis.

La problématique des réfugiés fait partie du cadre plus large des politiques migratoires et de la migration internationale en général. Étant un pays d’immigration, le Canada a dû composer avec plusieurs vagues migratoires et s’y adapter en changeant sa politique d’immigration (au niveau fédéral et provincial) en définissant, en termes numériques, les objectifs annuels d’admission des immigrants (le nombre souhaité d’immigrants), ainsi que les objectifs politiques, humanitaires, économiques et démographiques à long terme. Le groupe visé par le présent rapport (les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés) se distingue de toute autre catégorie d’immigration par la spécificité de sa condition - une fuite involontaire et une absence de protection des autorités nationales de leur pays. Au plan international et dans le cadre de la politique canadienne, un réfugié: « l’individu qui fuit la persécution » devient un «demandeur d’asile » au moment de faire face à un processus de reconnaissance du statut de réfugié, conforme aux définitions, aux lois et à la politique d’immigration canadiennes. Les étapes de ce processus sont importantes, parce qu’elles établissent une continuité de la demande d’asile, mais aussi parce qu’elles influencent la comptabilisation et les statistiques sur les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés. Les données de Citoyenneté et Immigration Canada figurent parmi les rares sources disponibles donnant à la fois des informations sur les demandeurs d’asile et les réfugiés. Cette population au Canada est mal connue et assez difficile à décrire à cause de la faiblesse des statistiques. Du point de vue démographique, une meilleure connaissance du nombre et de l’évolution des immigrants de la catégorie « demandeur d’asile » ou « réfugié », ainsi que de leurs caractéristiques sociodémographiques (sexe, âge, scolarité, connaissances linguistiques, pays d’origine, etc.) aide à cerner leurs besoins en services et à leur fournir des politiques adéquates d’intégration à la culture et à la vie canadiennes. / The problem of refugees is part of the broader framework of migration policies and international migration in general. As a country of immigration, Canada has had to deal with several waves of migration and to adapt its immigration policy (at the federal and provincial level) by defining, in numerical terms, the annual targets for the admission of immigrants (the desired number of immigrants), as well as its political, humanitarian, economic and demographic objectives. The target group for this report (the asylum seekers and refugees) differs from any other category of immigration by a specific condition – an inadvertent leak and a lack of protection from the national authorities of their country. At the international level and in the context of Canadian politics, a refugee: “the individual who is fleeing persecution” becomes an “asylum seeker” when engaging a process of recognition of refugee status, consistent with the Canadian immigration policy. The steps involved in this process are important because they establish continuity in the application process for asylum, but also because they influence the accounting and statistics on asylum seekers and refugees. The data from Citizenship and Immigration Canada are among the few sources available that provides indication on both asylum seekers and refugees. From a demographic point of view, a better knowledge of the number and the evolution of the immigrants of the category “asylum seeker” or “refugee”, as well as of their sociodemographic characteristics (sex, age, education, language skills, country of origin, etc.) help to identify their needs in services and to provide them with adequate policies of integration to Canada.

Här presenteras ett ramverk för beslutsanalytisk metod baserad på principen om maximering av den förväntade nyttan gällande värdering av olika alternativ för åldersbedömning av ensamkommande inom asylprocessen. Med detta ramverk som utgångspunkt görs en jämförelse mellan ett antal metoder (mognad hos visdomstand, knäled och handled samt Rättsmedicinalverkets metod baserad på både visdomstand och knäled) för medicinsk åldersbedömning. Dessa metoder jämförs vidare med tre referensalternativ (i) lita på den ensamkommandes åldersuppgifter vilket i praktiken innebär att bedöma alla som barn, (ii) bedöma alla ensamkommande som vuxna och (iii) det absurda alternativet att singla slant för att avgöra vem som är barn eller vuxen. Det som behövs för beslutsanalysen är antaganden och/eller skattningar på åldersfördelningen av ensamkommande som åldersbedöms samt skattning för de olika metoderna på hur stor sannolikheten är att en person bedöms som vuxen givet den faktiska åldern. Vidare krävs en kvantifiering av nyttan för en felklassificering av en vuxen, då en felklassificering av ett barn antas ge lägst nytta och en korrekt klassificering antas ge högst nytta. Åldersfördelningen av ensamkommande som åldersbedöms antas här bestå av en kombination av två likformiga och kontinuerliga fördelningar, där intervallen är 15-18 år (barn) respektive 18-21 år (vuxna). Två nyttomodeller undersöks, en diskret som endast tar hänsyn till om individen är barn eller vuxen samt en kontinuerlig linjär nyttomodell som tar hänsyn till åldersskillnaden från 18-årsgränsen vid en felklassificering. De genomförda analyserna demonstrerar hur ramverket kan användas i praktiken. Givet de antaganden som gjorts är slutsatsen att det alternativ som ger högst förväntad nytta i stor utsträckning beror på prevalensen (andelen vuxna) tillsammans med hur nyttan för en felklassificerad vuxen värderas. Oavsett värdering, vid prevalens nära 0 bör alla bedömas som barn, för att när prevalensen ökar ersättas ersättas av en metod som i stor utsträckning klassificerar barn korrekt, när prevalensen ökar ytterligare ersättas av en metod som i större utsträckning klassificerar vuxna korrekt och slutligen när prevalensen är nära 1 bör alla bedömas som vuxna. / A framework for a decision analysis method that is based on the principle of maximization of the expected utility regarding alternatives of age assessment for unaccompanied asylum seekers is here presented. Using the framework, different methods (dental, knee joint, hand wrist and the method used by The National Board of Forensic Medicine (RMV) that combines the methods for dental och knee joint) for medical age assessment are compared. These methods are further compared with three benchmark alternatives, (i) to trust the age given by the unaccompanied asylum seeker which results that all are considered to be children, (ii) to consider all the unaccompanied asylum seekers as adults and (iii) the absurd alternative to flip a coin to decide who is a child or an adult. For the decision analysis, assumptions and/or estimates for the age distribution of the unaccompanied refugees are needed and estimates for the different methods regarding how probably it is to be considered an adult given the actual age. The outcome of a child that is incorrectly classified is assumed to give the lowest utility and a correct classification (both children and adult) is assumed to give the highest utility. The utility of the outcome of an adult that is incorrectly classified as a child needs to be quantified. The age distribution of unaccompanied refugee, considered for age assessment is here assumed to be a combination of two continuous uniform distributions, with the interval 15-18 years (child) and 18-21 years (adult). Two utility models are examined, a discrete model that only consider if the individual is a child or an adult and a continuously linear utility model that consider the age difference from 18 years given an incorrect classification. The analyzes carried out demonstrates how the framework can be used in practice. Given the assumptions that are made the conclusion is that the alternative that gives the highest expected utility depends on the prevalence (proportion of adults) together with the valuation of the utility for an incorrect classified adult. Regardless of the valuation, when the prevalence is close to 0 all should be considered to be children, when the prevalence increases should be replaced with a method that largely classifies children correct when the prevalence is further increased should be replaced with a method that largely classifies adults correct and finally, when the prevalence is close to 1 all should be considered as adults.