IOM MAURITANIA NEWSLETTER N07 - February 2017 / May 2017 /2017 ©OIM/S.Desjardins THEME ▲ A young woman participating to the caravan of sensitisation on countering violent extremism and irregular migration in the streets ofNouakchott inthestreets migration andirregular extremism violent oncountering ofsensitisation the caravan to participating woman A young ©OIM/S.Desjardins/2017 THE MISSION OF IOM IN MAURITANIA IOM IN 2 WORDS The host agreement between the International Organization Established in 1951, for Migration and the Government of the Islamic Republic of IOM is the United Nations migration agency Mauritania was signed on the 15th of July 2007 in Geneva and ratified on the 7th of July 2008. Nouakchott based with a sub-office in Bassikounou, IOM Mauritania works closely with the Mauritanian Government 165 401 9063 and other partners to reinforce national migration management Member States Offices throughout Staff members capacities and provide assistance to migrants in the country. and 8 Observers the world 95% on the Field The mission is structured around three major axis of intervention: 2 2 9 MIGRANT ASSISTANCE Liaison offices Administrative Regional Offices New York centers Dakar BORDER MANAGEMENTMAURITANIE Addis-Ababa Manilla Nairobi Panama Cairo Pretoria COMMUNITY STABILISATION San Jose Buenos Aires Bangkok Brussels ▼ ► Report about the surface and geographic situation of Mauritania Vienna MAURITANIE 2400 Active projects Headquarter throughout the world with a budget of over 1 billion $ Geneva IOM Mauritania - Newsletter N°7 • February / May 2017 2 LOST BOYS SERIES Chris‘s history1 escape, leaving her oldest child behind, hoping He learned how to read in less than a month. this man would send him to Europe. He wants to study and aspires for a better life. When walking through the streets of cities in «I’ve been living alone for a long time. I know West Africa, we easily notice that a large number how to take care of myself. I only need you to of children are moving without any presence of « help me go to school. If you help me, I will be- their parents. Some of them are working; others I did not want to go to Europe. come the president of Liberia and I will make are begging and some are studying. I watched on the BBC that it a better country” he said. The conditions in which Chris was living did not allow him to Usually, these children are coming from other many men have died in the countries in the region; they left their homes in make his dreams come true. He found assis- Mediterranean. I do not want tance from IOM to support him to go home search of a better education, a better future, of « a dream. to die there. and start a new life. MIGRANTS ASSISTANCE MIGRANTS In October, the UNHCR Mauritania contacted After searching for months, and with the col- IOM Mauritania concerning a young Liberian «I was entrusted to a compatriot living in laboration of the International Committee of man who was requiring help and assistan- Nouakchott», Chris explained. He was only 12 the Red Cross (ICRC), we found his mother. ce to return to his home country. «Chris was years old, although very mature and intelligent. We knew she was living in another town of severely traumatised, he was brea- Mauritania. We were finally able to thing with difficulty and was spea- reunite them again. A few weeks after king very little, when we met him» their reunion, Chris’s mother gave bir- said Flavia Giordani, focal point for th to another child. IOM supported the the protection of migrant children whole family to return to Liberia and at IOM Mauritania. After a while, he start a new life. began to open up, telling us his sto- ry and explaining his needs. Since October 2016, IOM Mauritania has assisted six unaccompanied mi- After the spread of Ebola caused the grant children to return and access to death of his father, and in search education in their country of origin. of better life conditions, Chris left Liberia with his mother, his brother IOM provides the necessary support and and a man - a «friend» of his mo- assistance to their families so they can ©OIM/S.Desjardins/2017 ther. Arriving in Mauritania, the man develop different types of businesses to tried to convince his mother that help them reinforce their capacities and prostitution was her best option to improve their living conditions. Most of them went to other countries in the guarantee her children’s education. Follow the journey of Chris in video region in the quest of Islamic educa- Since she refused, she was living un- www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYpqP22vSPw der constant threat and soon had to tion. Unfortunately, some got trapped 3 IOM Mauritania - Newsletter N°7 • February / May 2017 in difficult situations, completely different from Sierra Leone. A few months after his arrival in to visit them. Meeting his mother and seeing what they were expecting. Mauritania, his father got sick and died soon after. where he lives allowed IOM representatives to Julius contacted IOM for support and assistance better understand Julius’ motivations to embark IOM and its partners, in collaboration with the to return home. on this journey. IOM work on assisting displaced Government, support and help these children He arrived in Sierra Leone last December. He ob- children has considerably increased and deve- by guarantying their safe stay in Mauritania loped, especially targeting unaccompanied ones. family tracing and the provision of help and assistance should they want to return to their « The unaccompanied migrant children are children country of origin. I am the oldest child, it is my separated from their parents, not taken care of by responsibility to go home and an adult who is, by law or custom, responsible for take care of my family « them. These children often travel long journeys and encounter very difficult life experiences. As a re- Julius‘s history1 sult, they become mature very early and develop tained the support for two years of schooling and strong decision-making abilities. MIGRANTS AUX ASSISTANCE his mother was assisted to develop a small bu- « I knew I could not fulfil my dreams if I stayed in siness to satisfy her family needs. For these reasons, and in the scope of their assis- Sierra Leone. My family knew that as well as God. tance, IOM seeks to actively involve them in the Mauritania is known for being a place where one Last March, an IOM Mauritania mission was sent decision-making process concerning their future, can learn. including the decision to continue their But it was not easy for a child without studies, work or combine both. father, mother or any family member to receive him. You know, I had to do that, IOM is committed to protect unaccom- I had to go there and chase my dreams. panied migrant children rights and will My entire family depends on me; I’m the always prioritise their best interest and only one who can help them. I have to well-being. do my best to improve my life and make my mother happy. That was the wish of my father. His blessings are always with me.» And so is Julius’ universe. He is 16 years old. He arrived in Mauritania with a member of his family to study and become Imam. ©OIM/F.Giordani/2017 He comes from the suburbs of Waterloo, 1. The name was changed a city of Sierra Leone. His father wanted 2. Convention on the Rights of the Child of 20th November 1989 (CRC), Article 1 - for the purpose of this him to become a good Imam and build ▲ Julius (on the left) with his mother and his brother Convention, a child means every human being under the a solid education to secure his fu- age of eighteen years, unless the law applies to the child, ture. A future that was not possible in the maturity is reached earlier. IOM Mauritania - Newsletter N°7 • February / May 2017 4 SALMA, A YOUNG WOMAN VICTIM OF TRAFFCIKING IN SAUDI ARABIA Salma, mother of 2, has always lived in her departure. Although, driven by a strong desire She received medical and reintegration assis- village, Boeir Toress, 40 km from Tiguint on to change her life and the one of her family, tance. This support enabled her to fund a cot- the Nouakchott-Rosso road. Her autodidact Salma managed to convince him. tage and goods. Salma is now running a grocery and resourceful husband used to go to Rosso The agency took care of all travel formalities store in her village. An IOM team visited her in to work without a contract for three to five and Salma quickly was at a Saudi family’s ser- May and took note of her impressive progress. months. He sometimes remained without any vice both day and night. Salma is very happy to share everyday life with activity for months. her family, especially her mother, who is joyfully For a year and a half, Salma suffered hunger, participating in the business and participating in One day, a close relative of Salma, living in loneliness, physical violence, insults, and ra- the education of her two grandchildren. Nouakchott, came to the village bringing the cism. She was beaten so severely that she lost great news. A recruiting agency was looking for the sensitivity of her right eye. Finally, when The family is currently living in a tent. Because MIGRANTS ASSISTANCE THEME MIGRANTS maids to work in Saudi Arabia. The selected wo- her employer agreed to give her a part of her of her precarious and hard living conditions, men would be lucky: one month of leave per salary, Salma did not hesitate to return home Salma benefitted from housing assistance to year, a health insurance, and a return ticket.