Som den svenska asylprocessen såg ut innan 2006, var den omdiskuterad och hårt kritiserad. Processen sades sakna insyn och ansågs därför alltför öppen för beslut tagna baserat på politiska, snarare än juridiska, grunder. År 2005 skapades en ny Utlänningslag. Även asylprocessen reformerades och den nya ordningen innebär bland annat möjligheten för asylsökande att få sin sak prövad i särskilda domstolar; Migrationsdomstolar. Då målet med reformerna var att skapa en öppnare process offentliggjordes även Migrationsverkets databas för landinformation. De offentliga biträdena och ombuden som Migrationsverket tilldelar asylsökande fick utvidgade arbetsuppgifter. Vid prövning i Migrationsdomstol möter klienten med biträde Migrationsverket som motpart. Reformerna har bidragit till en möjlig stärkt ställning för den asylsökande beroende på hur den sökandes talan förs. Mycket av detta ansvar beror därför på klientens biträde. Med anledning av reformerna som trädde i kraft år 2006 och de offentliga biträdenas betydande roll syftar denna uppsats till att utvärdera rättssäkerheten i den svenska asylprocessen genom att rikta fokus på biträdena i processen. Undersökningsmetoden utgörs av ett enkätutskick till offentliga biträden i Malmö region. Undersökningen backas upp av en teoretisk diskussion om den svenska rättsstaten, de svenska statsmakterna och så kallad lesson-drawing. Det senare innebar möjligheten till att dra lärdom från andra länder, områden eller skeden, där brister i rättssäkerheten uppdagas. Detta ramverk har använts i syfte att jämföra asylprocessen före och efter reformerna. Resultatet av enkätundersökningen stödjer hypotesen om att rättssäkerheten i asylprocessen ökat sedan reformerna och den nya lagen trädde i kraft. Processen upplevs som tydligare, mer rättssäker och mer öppen överlag. Undersökningen har dock belyst områden av processen som fortfarande hotar förutsägbarheten samt lämnar många biträden missnöjda över sin arbetssituation. Det faktum att Migrationsverket utser biträdena och på så vis kan påverka sin egen motpart i Migrationsdomstolen är ett problem som hotar rättsäkerheten. Migrationsverkets landinformation kritiseras även för att vara otillräckligt och anses ibland ha företräde i domstol, vilket belyser ytterligare infekterade områden. / The Swedish asylum process, as it appeared before 2006, was debated and criticised. It was know to lack transparency and, therefore, to leave to much room for political rather than legal decisions. A new law regulating asylum and immigration was created in 2005. The asylum process was reformed and opened, among other things, up for the possibility for asylum seekers to receive a trial in special courts; Migrationsdomstolar. Since one of the goals with the reforms was to make the process more transparent, the Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket) made their database for country specific information available to the public. The public defenders were granted a more significant role in pleading his or her clients cause. During a trial in court the client will meet the Migration Board. The reforms have thus opened up for the possibility for the client to have a stronger position in the process, where much of the responsibility of ensuring this falls upon the assigned counsel. Because of the changes in the asylum process in 2006, and the high level of responsibility given to the public defenders following the reforms, this thesis aims at evaluating the rule of law in the Swedish asylum process. Focus is on the public defenders and the method of investigation a self-administered survey distributed to the public defenders in Malmö region. A theoretical discussion including the Swedish Rechtstaat and possibilities of lesson-drawing from programs across jurisdictions, various areas and time, is used as a framework for comparing the asylumprocess before and after the reforms. The survey results support the hypothesis that the legal security in the asylum process has been improved following the reforms and the introduction of the new law. The process is more transparent, more secure and more predictable. The investigation has, however, illuminated some infected areas of the asylum process. The fact that the Migration Board assignes the counsels, and thus has got the opportunity to select their opponent in court, is one of these problematic areas. Another concerns the country specific information in the Migration Board’s database. The database has not only been criticised for not being up to date but has also been said to be preferred and seen as more reliable in the special courts.

This essay is about the asylum and immigration politics within the EU. Due to the heavy criticism the EU has been exposed to from among others different kind of human rights organizations I have become interested to find out what kind of asylum and migration politics right now is being formed by the member states of the union. Thus the purpose is also to see if the EU is creating a policy within this area that intends to live up to the human rights obligations. My overall research question is: Which ideas characterize the asylum and immigration politics within the EU? The theoretical perspectives of universalism and particularism are used as two analytical tools in order to understand the phenomenon I am investigating and to identify its characterizing ideas. In my essay universalism and particularism are used as opposite ideal types. For this purpose a model has been worked out. The model identifies the main characters of each perspective and is used to analyze the empirical data. The following publications from the EU are analyzed: The conclusion from the European Tampere Council 15 and 16 October 1999, a report from the Commission 2 June 2004, The Hague Programme 4 and 5 November 2004 and The Hague Action Plan 5 May 2005. Out of my theoretical framework and methodological approach three specific research questions have been formulated: 1. Which ideas characterize the asylum and immigration politics within the EU concerning “worldview”? 2. Which ideas characterize the asylum and immigration politics within the EU concerning “most important unit”? 3. Which ideas characterize the asylum and immigration politics within the EU concerning “governance”? My conclusion is that the asylum and immigration politics within the EU is characterized by both universal and particularistic ideas. Concerning “worldview” the particularistic ideas are more relevant and the EU also seems to move in a particularistic direction as the union is putting much focus on control of humans and borders. Simultaneously with this development the aim of the EU is to strengthen the level of justice for non-citizens who legally reside on the union’s territory. Therefore the union in regards for this aspect moves in a universal direction. When it comes to “most important unit” ideas from both perspectives are identified. Sometimes it proved to be difficult to determine the primary unit, that is to say the society or the individual. Concerning “governance” the conclusion is that the asylum and immigration politics within the EU is characterized by universal ideas since the politics is bound by international human rights obligations. In any case this is true on a theoretical level and a level of ambition.

This thesis treats the development of the European Union asylum- and migration politics and the EU member states transfer of authority to the European Union. The main purpose has been to look closer with the use of the application of theory of neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism on the European Union case. The focus will be to answer the following questions: How has the political development within EU asylum and migration policy developed through the period of The Single European Act to the ratification of the Stockholm program? And how can the chosen theory explain European countries transfer of national decision regarding asylum policy in favor of a supranational European asylum policy? Based on the available material of European Union programs and harmonization measures for this area I have attempted to understand to what extent the European Union’s development in the area of the asylum and migration politics can be explained through the theories of neofunctionalism and liberal intergovernmentalism. The result of my analysis is confirmation of the European Union development of the area of the asylum and migration policy and also a series of explanations according to the theories regarding the member states transfer of authority to the EU. The thesis has also led to an understanding of the methods of application.

This diploma thesis focuses on the possible cooperation between the state and NGOs on the program of medical evacuation MEDEVAC during last three years. The aim of this study is to bring a coherent view on the MEDEVAC program and mainly to look into a relation between the state and NGOs which provide services to the state so they play irreplaceable role in this interaction, all through the analysis of interview with particular representatives. The discovered findings from the research and evaluated achieved aims are placed in the conclusion of the thesis.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka om det finns ett samband mellan beviljad asyl och en förväntan om tacksamhet hos individer som av flyktingskäl har beviljats asyl i Sverige, samt om förväntan om tacksamhet har en påverkan på en individs integrationsprocess. Detta undersöks utifrån sju semi-strukturerade intervjuer med respondenter som alla har beviljats asyl i Sverige och är svenska medborgare. Insamlade data har analyserats och diskuterats utifrån gästfrihetsperspektivet, en teori om gästfrihet ur en flyktingkontext. I syfte att analysera insamlade data har en tematisk analys tillämpats på materialet. Resultatet i denna studie visar på att det finns ett samband mellan beviljad asyl och förväntan om tacksamhet, men att sambandet påverkas av olika faktorer. Orsaken till varför en individ har tvingats lämna sitt hemland samt kunskap om kolonialismens påverkan på en individs flykt är två faktorer som i denna studie framgår som avgörande för hur förväntan om tacksamhet tar sig i uttryck. Vidare framgår det i studien att tacksamhet kan upplevas som både förväntad och automatisk men att båda påverkar en individs integrationsprocess och skapar en känsla av att behöva ge tillbaka till Sverige för att man har beviljats asyl. Det är utifrån detta inte specifikt känslan av förväntan om tacksamhet som påverkar en individs integrationsprocess. Det är snarare känslan av tacksamhet, oavsett om den är förväntad eller automatisk, som har en påverkan på integrationsprocessen. / The purpose of this study is to examine if there is a relation between granted asylum and expectation of gratitude in individuals who have been granted asylum in Sweden, and whether expectation of gratitude has an impact on an individual’s process of social integration. This is examined through seven semi-structured interviews with respondents who have all been granted asylum in Sweden and hold Swedish citizenship. The theory of hospitality from a refugee context has been used to analyze and discuss collected data. In order to analyze and discuss collected data, a thematic analysis has been applied to the material. The results of this study show that there is a connection between granted asylum and expected gratitude, though the connection is affected by various factors. The reason why an individual has to leave their home country as well as knowledge of how colonialism has an impact on an individual’s displacement are two decisive factors for how expected gratitude is experienced. Furthermore, the study shows that gratitude can be experienced as either expected or automatic, but both affect an individual’s process of social integration and tend to create a feeling of being obliged to give back to Sweden as a gesture of gratitude for being granted asylum. However, it is not specifically the feeling of expected gratitude that influences an individual’s process of social integration. It is rather the feeling of gratitude, whether it is expected or automatic, that has the definite impact on the process of social integration.

Background: Refugees have existed throughout human history, but in recent times it has become morecommon for children without adult company to arrive at Europe's borders. Most children who have arrived in Sweden in recent years have a background in Somalia, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and Eritrea. In 2015 a record number came to Sweden when 35,369 unaccompanied children arrived. During the influx of refugees between 2015 and 2016, an estimated 170,000 children and young people came to Europe's borders and applied for asylum. Aim: Describe contributing factors to mental health problems among unaccompanied refugee children. Method: The purpose of the study is answered with a literature review with a qualitative approach based on 11 scientific articles taken from PubMed and CINAHL. Results: Four themes were identified: Traumatic experiences, Migration process, Agedetermination and Gender. The predominant factors that contributed to mental health problems among the children turned out to be traumatic experiences before and during the migration as well as the protracted migration process. Conclusion: The results of this literature study showed that unaccompanied refugee children have experienced various traumatic events before and during the migration process and face adversity and difficulties in the new country. / Bakgrund: Flyktingar har funnits genom mänsklighetens historia men på senare tid har det blivit vanligare att barn utan vuxet sällskap anländer till Europas gränser. De flesta barn som har anlänt till Sverige i de senaste åren har bakgrund i Somalia, Irak, Syrien, Afghanistan och Eritrea. Under 2015 kom det rekordmånga till Sverige när det anlände 35 369 ensamkommande barn. Under flyktingströmmen mellan 2015 och 2016 kom det uppskattningsvis 170 000 barn och unga till Europasgränser och ansökte om asyl. Syfte: Beskriva faktorer som kan bidra till psykisk ohälsa bland ensamkommande barn. Metod: Studiens syfte besvaras med en litteraturöversikt med kvalitativ ansats som grundades på 11 vetenskapliga artiklar som hämtades från PubMed samt CINAHL. Resultat: Fyra teman identifierades: Traumatiska upplevelser, Migrationsprocessen, Åldersbedömning och Genus. De övervägande faktorerna som bidrog till psykisk ohälsa bland barnen visade sig vara traumatiska upplevelser innan och under migrationen samt den utdragna migrationsprocessen. Slutsats: Resultatet i denna litteraturstudie visade att ensamkommande flyktingbarn har varit med om olika traumatiska händelser innan och under migrationens gång samt bemöter motgångar och svårigheter i det nya landet. Alla dessa faktorer bidrar till högre risk för att utveckla psykiska problem.

Angesichts deutlich gestiegener Flüchtlingszahlen werden die Positionen des Paritätischen Sachsen zu Flucht, Asyl und Migration dargelegt.

Genom åren har flyktingar och andra skyddsbehövande gjort försök att ta sig till Europa. Avsaknaden av reguljära vägar har dock resulterat i att hundratusentals människor har mist sina liv på de alternativa vägarna längs Medelhavet. År 2015 var migrationsströmmarna till Europa mest frekventa, vilket uppenbarade en ineffektivitet i EU:s migrationspolitik. Situationen med de ökade migrationsströmmarna har kommit att kallas för en flyktingkris, som har gett upphov till omedelbara kontrollåtgärder. Bland åtgärderna finns visumkrav, transportörsansvar och förstärkande av extraterritoriella gränskontroller genom fördjupade samarbeten med tredjeländer.  Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka EU:s extraterritoriella gränskontroller i förhållande till folkrättsliga normer, med fokus på skyddsbehövandes tillgång till skydd vid tredjelandssamarbeten.  Resultaten av undersökningen visar att EU:s extraterritoriella gränskontroller begränsar människors tillgång till skydd – genom att stoppa människor i ursprungs- och transitländerna eller genom att avlägsna dem från Europa till tredjeländer som exempelvis Turkiet och Libyen. Även om dessa länder anses utgöra så kallade säkra länder framgår av sammanställningen att överträdelser av mänskliga rättigheter är återkommande inslag. Härav följer att EU:s intresse av att reglera migrationen har fått stå i framkant, medan intresset av att ge skyddsbehövande tillgång till det skydd de är berättigade till har följaktligen fått stå tillbaka. / Over the years, refugees and those in need of protection have made several attempts to reach Europe. However, the lack of regular routes has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people losing their lives on irregular routes along the Mediterranean. In 2015, the migration flows across the Mediterranean reached high levels, which revealed inefficiency in the EU's migration policy. The situation with the increased migration flows across the Mediterranean has been labelled as a refugee crisis, and has given rise to immediate measures. The measures include border checks such as visa requirements, carrier responsibility, and extraterritorial border controls through deepened cooperation with third countries.  The purpose of this study is to investigate the EU's extraterritorial border controls in relation to public international law norms. The focus is on the possibility of access international protection in situations of collaborations with third countries.  The results of the study show that the extraterritorial border controls restrict people's access to protection - by stopping people in the countries of origin and transit, or by removing them from the European territory to third countries such as Turkey and Libya. Both are considered to be safe countries. However, evidence shows that neither Turkey nor Libya are such safe countries and that human rights are frequently violated. Accordingly, the EU's interest in regulating migration has remained at the forefront, while the interest in protecting those in need has been held back – even for those who are entitled to protection under public international law.

The purpose of this thesis is to understand how the Swedish Migration Board and the Social Services interpret the principle of "the best interests ofthe child" based on the specific conditions and tasks of the authorities. The essay strives to deepen the understanding of the street-level bureaucrats'room for action when they interpret and apply the principle of the child'sbest interests, as well as the impact these interpretations can have on thechildren. Scientific research shows that street-level bureaucrats may havelimited room for action when they have to investigate “the best interests of the child”, due to the existing legal framework, which leads to physical orpsychological consequences for the children. This paper will focus on howstreet-level bureaucrats interpret the principle of “the best interests of thechild” and how various legal frameworks of the authorities affect the scopeof action for the social workers. This study is based on nine interviews (fivefrom the Social Services and four from the Swedish Migration Board). It shows the experiences of how these street-level bureaucrats can accommodate the child's best interests in their daily work.

Uppsatsens syfte var att utreda barns rätt att bli hörda och få sina egna asylskäl beaktade i asylprocessen samt hur det tas hänsyn till barnets bästa i asylprocessen och hur den bedömningen går till. Utredningen börjar med att redogöra för hur asylprocessen i allmänhet går till samt vilka olika asylskäl som kan föreligga. Sedan utreds innebörden av barnets bästa såsom det kommer till uttryck i barnkonventionen samt utlänningslagen. Arbetet leder sedan till en sammanställning över huruvida barnets enskilda asylskäl prövats i praktiken samt hur barnets bästa tillgodosetts i asylprocessen. Material som lagstiftning, förarbeten, avgöranden från underinstanser och doktrin har studerats men även rättsliga ställningstaganden, konventioner och rapporter har använts för att besvara uppsatsens frågeställningar. Utredningen ger vid handen att det finns vissa brister i prövningen av barnets egna asylskäl samt i prövningen av barnets bästa. En av bristerna beror på att det saknas kunskap hos beslutsfattare och tjänstemän hur dessa prövningar ska genomföras samt motiveras i praktiken.