A/74/136 are perceived as a threat to national security. Many children are detained not because of actual association with non-State armed groups designated as terrorist, but on the assumption that they are sympathetic to those groups or on the suspicion of their family members being involved with such groups. In such cases, children are often tried before military courts without the presence of their parents or caregivers, without a clear understanding of the charges brought against them and without legal assistance or any respect for their procedural rights. Such situations violate the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the protocols mandating the handover of children associated with armed forces or groups to civilian authorities for rehabilitation. C. Reasons for deprivation of liberty 94. The most important reason for the large number of children in detention is the lack of adequate support for families, caregivers and communities to provide appropriate care to children and encourage their development. Such support and effective cooperation between parents, child welfare, social protection, education, health, law enforcement and the justice system would prevent children from being placed in institutions and coming into conflict with the law. 95. “Tough-on-crime” policies, including the criminalization of status offences, drug offences, petty crimes and low minimum ages of criminal responsibility, as well as widespread discrimination and corruption, contribute to a large number of children being deprived of liberty. Similar reasons are behind restrictive migration and asylum policies and extensive counter-terrorism practices. D. Conditions of detention 96. Research conducted for the study, the views of children interviewed and the Independent Expert’s own experiences from many fact-finding missions show that, in most States, conditions of detention, in all contexts, are deplorable and do not meet international standards. Children are often not separated from adults. Many detention facilities are characterized by overcrowding and high degrees of abuse, neglect and violence as well as a lack of hygiene standards, air and sunlight, privacy, adequate health care, recreational and educational opportunities and gender-sensitive facilities. 97. The absence of independent monitoring bodies with the mandate of carrying out unannounced visits to all places of detention contributes t o the continuation of such conditions, which can amount to inhuman and degrading treatment. VIII. Recommendations A. General recommendations 98. The Independent Expert strongly recommends that States make all efforts to significantly reduce the number of children held in places of detention and prevent deprivation of liberty before it occurs, including addressing the root causes and pathways leading to deprivation of liberty in a systemic and holistic manner. 99. To address the root causes of deprivation of liberty of children, States should invest significant resources to reduce inequalities and support families to 18/23 19-11838