“No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa June 2019 I “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa THE UNICEF OFFICE OF RESEARCH – INNOCENTI ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Office of Research – Innocenti is UNICEF’s dedicated research centre. It undertakes research on emerging or current issues in order to inform the strategic directions, policies and programmes of UNICEF and its This research benefitted from the expertise, insights and support of many individuals both within and partners, shape global debates on child rights and development, and inform the global research and policy beyond UNICEF - all of whom it is impossible to name here. agenda for all children, and particularly for the most vulnerable. The report was written by Olivia Bueno, with contributions from Monira Ahsan. Coordination, strategic Publications produced by the Office are contributions to a global debate on children and may not necessarily conceptualization and oversight were provided by Bina D’Costa, Iolanda Genovese and Ramya reflect UNICEF policies or approaches. Subrahmanian. The Office of Research – Innocenti receives financial support from the Government of Italy, while funding for specific projects is also provided by other governments, international institutions and private sources, Great appreciation is extended to Hon. Hinda Jama Hirsi, Minister of Employment, Social Affairs and including UNICEF National Committees. The Office of Research – Innocenti would like to thank UK Aid for Family, Somaliland (MESAF), Mohamed Elmi Aden, Director General (MESAF), and Khadar Nur Abdi, Child generous support to this project. Protection Technical Advisor (MESAF), for support to the field research; and to Dean Mukhtar Mohamed Abby, the teachers and students of the College of Social Sciences and Humanities, School of Social Work, University of Hargeisa, for conducting the data collection; as well as to key informants listed in Annex I. Sincere thanks go to Noela Barasa, Lawrence Oduma, Brendan Ross, Abdiaziz Mohamud, Jorinde van de Scheur and May Munoz, for their research support, and to Lucy Hovil and Marissa Quie, for reviewing the This report has been peer reviewed within UNICEF. report. The text has not been edited to official publication standards and UNICEF accepts no responsibility for errors. We would like to give special mention to UNICEF staff – Jean Lokenga, Lawrence Oduma, Kamal Nidam Adam, Issa Ahmed Nur, Brendan Ross and Jeremy Shusterman of the Somalia Country Office; to Jean The maps in this publication are stylized and not to scale. They do not reflect a position by UNICEF on the Francois Basse, Ndeye Marie Diop and Anna Lena Nordin at the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa legal status of any country or territory or the delimitation of any frontiers. Regional Office; to Noela Barasa, Kirsten Di Martino and Claus Bech Hansen at UNICEF HQ; and to Andrew Extracts from this publication may be freely reproduced with due acknowledgement. Requests to utilize Brooks of the UNICEF Western and Central Africa Regional Office. larger portions or the full publication should be addressed to the Communication Unit at: [email protected]. This report would not have been possible without the inputs of many UNICEF Office of Research - Innocenti staff, at strategic moments in its production, including: Claire Akehurst, Dale Rutstein, Heidi Loening, For readers wishing to cite this document, we suggest the following form: Jasmine Byrne, Michelle Godwin, Prerna Banati, Priscilla Idele, Sarah Cook, Sarah Crowe and Sarah “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate”. Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa. UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti, Florence (2019). Marchant. ©2019 UNICEF Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Funding for this research was generously provided by UK Aid. Graphic Design: Mannocchi Design, Rome Production: Sarah Marchant (UNICEF) “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa FOREWORD In 2017, UNICEF estimated that around 30 million children were living outside their country of birth, and 6 million were internally displaced. Children’s migration journeys – with family or unaccompanied – are driven by a combination of factors that include violence, distress and deprivation, as well as a search for new opportunities in line with their aspirations for better lives. Children and young people face multiple risks on the course of their journeys, shaped to a significant extent by their age and gender. Without adequate protection, they are vulnerable to physical and sexual exploitation and harm at the hands of smugglers and other adults. Two recent intergovernmental agreements endorsed in December 2018 – the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration and the Global Compact on Refugees – commit signatory governments to placing children’s rights to safety and protection from violence, abuse and exploitation at the heart of the management of migration, both within countries and across borders. Robust evidence, particularly from the perspectives of children and young people, is central to understanding what they experience whilst on the move. Evidence is necessary to improve policies, programmes and investments in child protection systems to ensure that children’s rights are secured. This report is part of ongoing research in the Horn of Africa. It provides key insights into the perilous journeys undertaken by children transiting and/or moving within and/or through Somaliland. Drawing on qualitative research with children, their families, and other stakeholders, the report highlights how children’s movement is driven by different motivations, exposes children to different forms of harm, and presents multiple barriers to accessing services. These barriers include lack of access to schools for refugees and internal migrants due to language issues, costs and distance from schools, even where access is promised through legislation and/or policy. For children embarking for Europe, violations often include arbitrary arrest and detention, deportation, rape and sexual violence, being held ransom by smugglers – at risk to their lives – and exposure to life-threatening natural hazards. UNICEF’s imperative to study child migration pathways and experiences derives from its commitment to identifying the most effective forms of support that can be provided to children, their families and communities, to ensure that if they move, they do so safely and with dignity. The findings presented here support the implementation of global commitments to protect children on the move, by informing and recommending actions and investments of all stakeholders, including governments, the United Nations, civil society and other development partners. Priscilla Idele Director, a.i. UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti 2 3 “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” “No Mother Wants Her Child to Migrate” Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa Vulnerability of children on the move in the Horn of Africa CONTENTS Responding to vulnerability: The existing framework ......................................................56 Legal framework .............................................................................................56 List of acronyms. 5 Services ......................................................................................................57 Legal status ..................................................................................................60 Executive summary .............................................................................................. 6 Detention .....................................................................................................61 Birth registration .............................................................................................63 Introduction .....................................................................................................10 Mental and physical health .................................................................................64 Education .....................................................................................................64 Methodology ....................................................................................................11 Employment ..................................................................................................68 Constraints and limitations .................................................................................14 Child labour ..................................................................................................71 Trafficking and smuggling ..................................................................................72 Children’s pathways: Which children are moving and why? ...............................................16 Sexual and gender-based violence ........................................................................74 Internally displaced persons. 16 Harmful traditional practices ...............................................................................76 Refugees ......................................................................................................18 Alternative care ..............................................................................................78