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Children on the move

As of January 2016, an estimated 30 million children are on the move, both within and between countries, with or without their parents. They are part of large-scale population movements currently taking place in many parts of the world.

Children on the move are those children moving for a variety of reasons, voluntary or involuntary within or between countries, with or without their parents or other primary caregivers, and whose movement might place them at risk (or at an increased risk) of inadequate care, economic or sexual exploitation, abuse, neglect or violence.

Children on the move is an umbrella term that brings together a series of categories of children to highlight their common protection needs, including, children who have been trafficked, children who migrate (e.g. to pursue better life opportunities, to look for work or education or to escape exploitative or abusive situations at home, or because of other protection needs), children displaced by conflict and natural disasters and children who live and work in the streets.

Movement can help children and their families improve their living standards and life opportunities. However, children do not always benefit from such potentials. Child protection policies and interventions should refocus to place the protection of the child at the centre as well as the need to support the positive aspects of mobility.

Save the Children’s goal is that all children, including those on the move and in emergencies, have appropriate care either from their own families or community-based alternatives.

Photo: Pedro Armestre/Save the Children

Documents (236)

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  1. Caracterización de la Niñez Migrante en la Frontera Norte de México: Los casos de Tijuana y Nogales

    This publication seeks to understand the profile and motivation of Mexican children and adolescents who have been repatriated to Mexico for not having proper documentation while attempting to cross the United States border. The children are exposed to gre

    Publication year: 2006 Publisher(s): Corredor Bilateral para la Protección de Derechos Humanos | ... Author(s): Vilaboa Romero, Elena

  2. Our broken dreams. Child migration in southern Africa

    In southern Africa, the phenomenon of undocumented child migration is now a serious issue. This book captures the voices of children who have made perilous journeys across borders of their own volition but without any idea of the dangers they would meet o

    Publication year: 2008 Publisher(s): Save the Children UK | Save the Children Norway Author(s): Staunton, Irene

  3. The Lost Ones: Emergency care and family tracing for separated children from birth to five years

    The Lost Ones: Emergency care and family tracing for separated children from birth to five years describes how to care for the youngest children who are separated from their families in emergencies. This working guide also provides information on how pare

    Publication year: 2007 Publisher(s): UNICEF, United Nations Children's Fund Author(s): de la Soudière, Marie | Williamson, Jan | Botte, Jacqueline

  4. The Statelessness of the World's Children

    The purpose of this special issue on The Statelessness of the World's Children is twofold: Firstly, it is intended to draw attention to the challenges faced by displaced children. Although there is a growing body of literature from both academic and pract

    Publication year: 2007 Publisher(s): Young Lives | ODID, Oxford Department of International Development Author(s): Boyden, Jo | Hart, Jason

  5. Transnational protection of children. The case of Albania and Greece, 2000-2006

    By taking a transnational approach, the publication discloses in details the reality of the Albanian children exploited in Greece. One of the problems evidenced is that often their status as illegal migrants is more decisive for the authorities’ approach

    Publication year: 2006 Publisher(s): Terre des Hommes

  6. Small dreams beyond reach: The lives of migrant children and youth along the borders of China, Myanmar and Thailand

    The results of a participatory action research project to identify how best to help migrant children deal with the problems they face. Over the past ten years, the borders between China, Myanmar and Thailand have seen the largest flow of migrants in decad

    Publication year: 1999 Publisher(s): Save the Children UK Author(s): Caouette, Therese M.

  7. PowerPoint presentations for the Training Manual on Children without Appropriate Care for Asia and the Pacific: Understanding the meaning and causes of a lack of appropriate care [Session 2]

    PowerPoint presentation that is part of the session materials for "the Training Manual Children without Appropriate Care for Asia and the Pacific" published by Save the Children Child Protection Initiative (CPI). This presentation, pertaining to Session 2

    Publication year: 2001 Publisher(s): Save the Children

  8. Caring for Children Moving Alone: Protecting Unaccompanied and Separated Children E-course

    This course is about the care and protection of unaccompanied and separated refugee and migrant children who are moving across and between countries. This course will provide an understanding of the risks and vulnerabilities these children face. It will i

    Publisher(s): CELCIS, Centre for excellence for children's care and protection | ...

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