THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 1 Running head: THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES The Migration Stories and Pre-returning Experiences of Ethiopian Unaccompanied and Separated Migrant Children (USMC) from Yemen By: Bekele Molla Advisor: Zena Berhanu (Ph.D.) A Thesis Submitted to School of Social Work College of Social Sciences Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Social Work Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia June 2017 THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 2 Addis Ababa University School of Graduate Studies This is to certify that the thesis prepared by Bekele Molla, entitled:- The Migration Stories and Pre-returning Experiences of Ethiopian Unaccompanied and Separated Migrant Children (USMC) from Yemen and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Work, Social Work in the Health Care Concentration, complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to originality and quality. Signed by the Examining Committee: Examiner (Internal) Signature____________ Date _____________ Examiner (External) Signature____________ Date _____________ Advisor Signature____________ Date _____________ ____________________________________________ Chair of Department or Graduate Program Coordinator THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 3 Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank my advisor Zena Berhanu (Ph.D.) for commenting, critiquing, suggesting and guiding me on a regular basis in producing the thesis from its start to end. Thus, the Professor deserves appreciation for his critical, genuine and scrupulous comments. The courageous advisor is the real role model in his professionalism, competency in the area, commitment and personal communications with the advisees. Second, I would like to thank the participants of the study and the social workers in Addis Ababa Voluntary Assisted Returnee Transit Center, who supported me to collect the data comfortably. Third, I am also fully indebted to my bunch mate MSW students for their credible suggestions and remarks in all processes of the study. Fourth, I still extended my gratitude for my colleague Ajanew Alemie and Hone Mandefro at the University of Gondar for their keenness and wholeheartedness in commenting the thesis despite the precious time they have. My last but not the least appreciation goes to University of Gondar (UoG) and Addis Ababa University (AAU) for its scholarship opportunity and allocation of the adequate amount of fund for the completion of the study with its respect. THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 4 Acronyms AAU - Addis Ababa University ACRWC - African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Children AU – African Union CRC - Convention on the Rights of Children/Committee on the Rights of Children DOI - Digital Object Identifier ETB - Ethiopian Birr FDRE - Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopian FGD - Focus Group Discussion IOM - International Organization for Migration LT – Local Time MHS - Mental Health Services MSW – Master in Social Work NASW - National Association of Social Workers OAU - Organization for African Unity PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSS - Post Traumatic Stress Symptom /Syndrome RMMS - Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 5 SC - Separated Child SNNPRS – Southern Nation Nationality and Peoples Regional State TF-CBT – Trauma Focused Cognitive Therapy UAM - Unaccompanied Minor UASC - Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children UK - United Kingdom UN - United Nations UNCRC - United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children/United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund UoG - University of Gondar USA - United States of America USMC - Unaccompanied and Separated Migrant Children THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 6 Abstract The aim of the study was to explore understandings about the migration stories and the pre- returning experiences of Ethiopian USMC returned from Yemen. The study was conducted using constructivist researcher’s paradigm of qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological inquiry with a cross-sectional exploratory study design. The data was collected through in-depth interview, FGD and observation from purposefully selected twelve participant returnee USMC, with the registered age of sixteen and seventeen. Addis Ababa Voluntary Assisted Returnee Transit Center was the study site where the data was collected. Thematic analysis that consists phases of familiarizing to the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing the themes, defining and naming the themes, and producing the final report was used to analyze the data. The study indicated that the experiences and living situations of USMC before migration was diversified in the form of family’s living condition, school dropout, previous migration, and marriage tracked divorce. The interconnected primary reasons such as migration as emerging fashion; family situation; absence guarantee for future; and desire for change were the major rationale for international migration of USMC. The experiences of USMC in the process of migration include strained foot journey, starvation, and physical as well as emotional problems. Dreadful experiences such as detention; bomb attack; physical abuses; emotional problems; imprisonment; starvation; health problems; military recruitment; loss of basic rights; sexual abuse; and dispute with the Yemenis were part of USMC’s life in Yemen. The study uniquely implied for comprehensive social work services; participatory policy implementation and evaluation; further research gaps (magnitude in the nation wide, experiences of minors returned from other countries, the role of social workers in the transit center etc.); and primary level of educations about migration. Key Words: Children, Unaccompanied, Separated, Migration stories, Pre-returning experiences, Ethiopian, Yemen THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 7 Table of Contents Contents Page Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................. 3 Acronyms............................................................................................................................... 4 Abstract.................................................................................................................................. 6 Table of Contents................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………….. 13 Introduction…………………………..…………...……………………………………..... 13 Statement of the Problem………………………………………………………………..... 15 Objectives of the Study………………………………………………………………….... 19 Research Questions…………………………………….…………………….................… 19 Rationales of the Study……………………….…………………….…………….………. 20 Scope of the Study……………………………………………………………………...… 21 Significant of the Study……………….…………………………………….….……….... 22 Definition of Terms………………………………………………………..……………… 22 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………….. 24 Reasons for International Migration of USMC………………………………………....... 24 Experiences of USMC in the Process of Migration…………………………….……….... 28 THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 8 Experience of USMC in the Destination Countries……….…….……………………...… 30 Reasons and Experiences of Ethiopian Migrants………………….……………………… 33 Legal Instruments……………………………….…………….....……….…………….…. 35 Critical Reflection on the Reviewed Literatures ……...………………………………….. 38 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS………………………………………………...... 40 Researcher’s Paradigm…………………………………………………………………..... 40 Study Design………………………………….….…………….…….……...….………… 41 Description of the Study Site……………………………………………………………... 43 Participants of the Study and Inclusion Criteria……………….……………….….……... 43 Selection of Study Participants…………………….....….……….……………….……… 45 Data Sources………………………………….…….….....………………………….…… 46 Methods of Data Collection…………….……………….…………………..…….……… 46 In-depth Interview………………………………………………………………… 47 Focus Group Discussion………………………………………………………..… 48 Observation………………………….………………………………........…….… 50 Data Collection Tools……………………….………………….……………….………... 50 Procedure of the Study………………………………………………………………...….. 51 Methods of Data Analysis………………………………...…………………………….… 52 THE MIGRATION STORIES AND PRE-RETURNING EXPERIENCES… 9 Data Quality Assurance…………………………………………………………………... 55 Ethical Considerations……………………………………………….………………...…. 59 Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………………... 61 Challenges of the Study……………………………………………………………...…… 62 CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION………………………………………………….... 63 Experiences before Migration……………………….…...………………….……………. 64 Living Condition…………………………………………………..……………… 64 School Dropout…………………………….…………………….………..……… 66 Marriage Tracked Divorce ……..………………………………………………… 67 Previous Migration………………………………………….…………..………… 68 Primary Reasons for Migration…………………………………...…….………………… 69 Migration as Emerging Fashion …………………….…………………….….…... 69 Family Situation…….….…….……………….….………….…..….…….…….… 71 Absence of Guarantee for Future ……………………………………………….... 73 Desire for Change………………………………………………………………… 74 Interconnectedness of the Primary Reasons………………………..…………….. 74 Decision for Migration………………………………………………………………….....76 Individual Decision…………………………………..……………………………