By Longtong Ibrahim
The United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has on Wednesday revealed that more than seven million young people in West and Central Africa are displaced annually as a result of persistent conflict, poverty, climate change, rapid population growth/urbanization and inequitable economic development.
Other factors include weak governance and limited institutional capacity to support the most vulnerable populations.
UNICEF made this known in its latest report; ‘In Search of Opportunities: Voices of children on the move in West and Central Africa’.
According to the UN Agency, Children account for over half of the 12 million West and Central African people on the move each year, with some 75 per cent of them remaining in sub-Saharan Africa, and less than one in five heading to Europe.
UNICEF Regional Director, Marie-Pierre Poirier, while making the announcement said, “Children in West and Central Africa are moving in greater numbers than ever before, many in search of safety or a better life.
“Yet the majority of these children are moving within Africa, not to Europe or elsewhere. We must broaden the discussion on migration to encompass the vulnerabilities of all children on the move and expand systems to protect them, in all their intended destinations.”
According to the Report, “The region is projected to experience a three to four degree rise in temperature this century – more than one and a half times higher than anywhere else in the world. Severe flooding and drought is already causing the loss of livelihoods and displacement, while changing climate patterns are making some forms of agriculture increasingly unsustainable.
“Tensions over access to scarce resources for cattle and livestock are leading to hostilities in some rural areas, pushing greater numbers of people towards cities.”
The report finds that the region lacks sufficient protection systems – both within and across borders – to ensure the safety and wellbeing of refugee and migrant children, a gap which will become more pronounced with the projected increase in both national populations and migration.
The UN report which was based on a series of interviews with migrants and their families from several countries, states further that the factors if not addressed would continue to rise, hence, calling on policy makers to put children at the centre of any response to migration.
“This can be done by strengthening the chain of protection for children between countries of origin, transit and destination.
“The close cooperation of governments, UN, and non-governmental partners is critical to ensure children’s access to healthcare, education and other essential services, regardless of their migration status.
While urging the public to stand in solidarity with refugee and migrant children displaced by war, violence and poverty, UNICEF also called on all governments, in West and Central Africa, in Europe and elsewhere to adopt the six-point Agenda for Action for the protection of refugee and migrant children.
“The Protection of child refugees and migrants, particularly unaccompanied children, from exploitation and violence; End the detention of children seeking refugee status or migrating, by introducing a range of practical alternatives; Keep families together as the best way to protect children and give children legal status.
“Keep all refugee and migrant children learning and give them access to health and other quality services; Press for action on the underlying causes of large scale movements of refugees and migrants; and Promote measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization in countries of transit and destination,” the Agency added.
