Falcon powers – The Social Services or the “Socialtjänsten” have obtained greater authority to prevent children from traveling abroad in the context of honor and family values. This is after an amendment to the regulations related to the ban on children’s travel at the beginning of June 2024, according to what was reported by Swedish Radio.
Maria Wilsson from the National Center Against Violence and Oppression Related to Honor says that they hope and expect this will lead to the protection of more children and adolescents from being forced to travel by their families and stay abroad in harmful conditions.
Previously, social services had to prove that children were at risk of forced marriage or female genital mutilation to prevent girls under the age of 18 from leaving Sweden. But now, social services have broad powers to prevent children from traveling, and it is noted that the new measures are targeting immigrant backgrounds who have another homeland to which they send their children to be subjected to a pattern of upbringing or to carry out family orders.
According to Maria, it is now sufficient to prove that the child or adolescent’s health or development is at risk if they leave Sweden and during their stay abroad.
Maria Wilsson says that the new amendments can protect, for example, LGBTQ+ adolescents who are sent abroad to influence their sexual identity, or young people who are sent on an educational trip aimed at making them live according to family honor standards, as Maria says.
