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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
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A Tide of Self-harm and Depression: The EU-Turkey Deal's devastating impact on child refugees and migrants
March 2017 marks one year since the start of the European Union (EU) Deal with Turkey. The Deal was introduced by the EU as a mechanism to reduce the number of “irregular” migrants and refugees arriving in Greece from Turkey, and continuing on to other pa
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Youth Transitions in the Horn of Africa: A Study on Youth Migration and Save the Children Programming in the Arid Lands of Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia
A major shift in humanitarian approaches to protracted crises began following the 2010/11 drought in the Horn of Africa (HoA). The scale of the suffering combined with the failure of the international humanitarian system and governments in the region to r
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Specialised Foster Care for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Serbia: A case study
The case study Specialised Foster Care for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Serbia provides an overview of the project that Save the Children realised in Serbia during the refugee crisis response (2016 – 2017). Working together with relevant instit
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Protecting Syrian Children en Route to Europe: A study conducted in Syria, along transit routes & in hosting countries
In December 2015, Altai Consulting was commissioned by Save the Children’s Middle East and Eurasia Regional Office to conduct a research study on the protection of children fleeing from the Syria conflict and traveling to Europe. Fieldwork was conducted o
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No Place to Call Home: Protecting children's rights when the changing climate forces them to flee
Children affected by climate change are vulnerable to a range of heightened risks, notably those that result from displacement and migration. Separation, exploitation, and limited access to health and education services are some of the many challenges and
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The Way Forward to Strengthened Policies and Practices for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Europe
Regional and national laws in Europe provide a solid framework for child protection, based on international standards. However these laws have not systematically translated into a positive impact on the wellbeing of refugee and migrant children. Instead,
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Out of Sight, Exploited and Alone
This advocacy brief is a joint effort by 12 national and international humanitarian agencies responding to the needs of Unaccompanied or Separated Children (UASC) stranded in or on the move throughout the Balkans, specifically Bulgaria, the Former Yugosla
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A Deadly Journey for Children: The Central Mediterranean Migration Route
Every day, thousands of women and children travel from the hinterlands of Africa and the Middle East, across the Sahara to the Mediterranean Sea in Libya in hopes of reaching safety in Europe. They flee war, violence and poverty. They endure exploitation,
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Balkans Migration and Displacement Hub Data and Trends Analysis: Regional overview (January-August 2017)
More than 10,000 refugees and migrants are currently present in the Balkans countries (other than Greece). The number of refugees and migrants transiting through the Balkans has decreased since the conclusion of the EU-Turkey Deal, however, the movement o
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Youth on the Move: Investigating decision-making, migration trajectories and expectations of young people on the way to Italy
Since March 2016, more than 260,000 people have arrived on Italian shores. The majority of them are young people, with unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) accounting for up to 15% of all arrivals. In order to strengthen policymakers’ and humanitar
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Balkans Migration and Displacement Hub Data and Trends Analysis: Iraqis transitioning through the Balkans route (September-November 2017)
An increase in refugees and migrants from Iraq has been registered traveling the Balkans migration route for the period of September to November 2017. Relevant data for this period (number of children, unaccompanied and separated children, demography) are
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I Play, I Learn and I'm Safe: Case Studies
I Play, I Learn and I’m Safe is a Save the Children programme for preventing unsafe migration of children in Ethiopia and Bangladesh by promoting protection, education and play for children on the move. Visit the campaign website to read individual case s