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STUDY ON UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN IN MOZAMBIQUE, SOUTH AFRICA, ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE 2017 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe 1 2 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe STUDY ON UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN IN MOZAMBIQUE, SOUTH AFRICA, ZAMBIA AND ZIMBABWE 2017 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Children’s Rights Project at the Dullah Omar Institute for Constitutional Law, Governance and Human Rights (formerly known as the Community Law Centre) of the University of the Western Cape would like to extend its appreciation to all the IOM offices in the countries of the study that have facilitated the conduct of the research. In addition, the research would not have come to a successful completion if it was not for the positive gesture extended by the authorities in the countries covered by the study. Last but not least, a number of stakeholders, including civil society organizations, as well as, the children that took part in the research, have been instrumental. Sincere appreciation to the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town who made a significant contribution towards developing, researching and writing this report. The Centre’s leadership role throughout the research process made this report possible and is greatly appreciated. Last but not least, a number of stakeholders, including civil society organizations, as well as, the children that took part in the research, have been instrumental. The opinions expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The designations employed and the presentation of the material throughout the guide do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IOM concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning its frontiers or boundaries. _______________ IOM is committed to the principle that humane and orderly migration benefits migrants and society. As the UN Migration Agency, IOM acts with its partners in the international community to: assist in meeting the operational challenges of migration; advance understanding of migration issues; encourage social and economic development through migration; and uphold the human dignity and well-being of migrants. This publication has been made possible by the support of the American people through the US Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necesarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency of the Government of the United States of America. 4 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe ACRONYMS ACRWC African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child AU African Union BID Best Interests Determination CRC Convention on the Rights of the Child ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IOM International Organization for Migration NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations OAU Organization of African Unity SADC Southern Africa Development Community UN United Nations UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNODC United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents Acronyms Table of contents Acknowledgements Background Part one: The protection of unaccompanied migrant children in Mozambique: Current challenges, strengths and opportunities 1. Introduction 9 2. Methodology and limitations 10 2.1 Methodology 10 2.2 Limitations 11 3. Legal and policy framework 12 3.1 International and regional legal framework 14 3.2 Domestic legal framework for UMC 14 4. Research findings 22 4.1 General profile UMC 19 4.2 Documentation and Refugee Status 20 4.3 Trafficking and smuggling 20 4.4. Shelter, food and clothing 21 4.5 Health 22 4.6 Education 23 4.7 Violence 24 4.8 Detention 24 4.9 Family tracing, reunification and resettlement 25 5. Conclusions and recommendations 26 Part two: The protection of unaccompanied migrant children in Child and Youth Care Centres in Gauteng and Limpopo provinces of South Africa: Current challenges, strengths and opportunities 1. Introduction 28 2. Objective 29 3. Methodology and applied definitions 29 4. Legal framework 30 5. Research findings 31 5.1 Demographic profile 31 5.1.1. Quantifying UMC 32 5.1.2. Birth in South Africa 32 5.1.3. Gender and age groups 33 5.1.4. Disability 33 5.1.5. Country of origin 33 5.1.6 Location of residential care facilities 33 5.2 Access to basic rights 33 5.2.1 The right to education 33 6 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe TABLE OF CONTENTS Continued 5.2.2 The right to a name and nationality 34 5.2.3 Access to documentation 35 5.3 Statelessness 35 5.4 Circumstances around migration 36 5.4.1 Means of transport 38 5.4.2 Duration of stay 38 5.4.3 Decision to migrate 38 5.4.4 Trafficking 39 5.5 Placement in alternative care 39 5.5.1 Reasons for placement 40 5.5.2 Access to the child protection system 40 5.5.3 Duration of placement 40 5.6 Family tracing and reunification 41 6. Conclusions and recommendations 42 Part three: The protection of unaccompanied migrant children in Zambia: Current challenges, strengths and opportunities 1. Introduction 45 2. Methodology and limitations 46 2.1 Methodology 46 2.2 Limitations 46 3. The legal and policy framework 47 3.1 International and regional legal framework 57 3.2 Domestic legal framework 47 3.4 Stakeholders 50 4. Research findings 50 4.1 General Profile of UMC 50 4.2 Documentation and refugee status 51 4.3 Trafficking and smuggling 54 4.4 Shelter, food and clothing 54 4.5 Health 56 4.6 Education 57 4.7 Violence 57 4.8 Custody and detention 58 4.9 Family tracing, reunification and resettlement 59 5. Conclusions and recommendations 60 Part four: The protection of unaccompanied migrant children in Zimbabwe: Current challenges, strengths and opportunities 1. Introduction 64 2. Methodology, scope and limitations 65 3. Research findings 66 3.1 General overview of recent government policy interventions 68 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe 7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Continued 3.2 General profile of UMC 69 3.3 Documentation and refugee status 70 3.4 Trafficking and smuggling 72 3.5 Food, clothing and shelter 73 3.6 Health and psycho-social services 74 3.7 Education 75 3.8 Detention and violence against UMC 76 3.9 Family tracing, reunification and resettlement 77 3.10 Alternative care 78 4. Conclusions and recommendations 78 4.1 Positive practices 78 4.2 Recommendations 78 8 Study On Unaccompanied Migrant Children In Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia And Zimbabwe 1.BACKGROUND Children have always been part of migration flows, This study aimed to collect complementary and even though data on children in migration has been predominantly qualitative information on some of particularly limited. 1Therefore, despite a number of the fundamental challenges faced and protection and many years’ worth of study and analysis of the issue participation measures necessary to address the human of UMC in the world in general, and in Southern Africa rights of UMCs in the selected four Southern African in particular, some basic information about the profile, countries- namely Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia protection needs, challenges and opportunities as a and Zimbabwe. Clearly, this is an ambitious undertaking whole remains either unknown, fragmented, and/or and there is a need for careful modesty about what this limited. study will be able to achieve. There were three main components to the Study as outlined in the Service Throughout the region, the exercise of estimating the Agreement: numbers of irregular migrants is difficult, and remains work in progress at best. When such an exercise is · A literature review of the state of UMCs in the distilled down to UMC it rarely includes disaggregated selected jurisdictions data and often the methods used are also much debated. Part of the challenge emanates from the very nature of · A field work to collect data to substantiate, the target population that is hidden and mostly wants complement, or dispel some of the information to remain as such. from the literature review through interviews of purposively selected key informants, and filling of As a result, this Study emanates from a March 2015 questionnaires. call for proposals that the International Organization for Migration (IOM) put up for the procurement of · A synthesis analysis of the information from the a service provider to conduct a study on the profile literature review as well as issues and findings from of UMC crossing international borders, and “their the field work- FINAL REPORT. protection needs as well as current government and other stakeholders’ response and challenges” in a While a significant number of literature finds children to selected number of Southern African countries- namely be at the periphery of interest of migration researchers, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The this study aimed to make children and their rights the Community Law Centre (CLC) of the University of the centre of its activities. This has a number of implications Western Cape (UWC) was awarded the contract with for the research and its outcome. an agreement that came into force on the 29th of June 2015. The research team consisted of Prof Benyam Firstly, the study hinges on the obligations of States Dawit Mezmur (coordinator), Prof Julia Sloth-Nielsen, that emanate from international law, in particular, the Dr Aquinaldo Mandlate, Dr Maria Usang Assim, Dr Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Maralize Ackeerman, and Jill Stein.

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