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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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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
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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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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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Young and on the Move: Children and youth in mixed migration flows within and from the Horn of Africa
The purpose of this study is to provide an updated overview of children and youth as specific (albeit non-homogenous) groups in mixed migration flows within, through and from the Horn of Africa. The report does not purport to be exhaustive, but rather to
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In Search of a Better Future: Experiences of unaccompanied migrant children in Limpopo & Mpumalanga in South Africa
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child provide for the protection of children who are deprived of family or parental care and make it clear that such children should have acc
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Children on the Move: A crisis in the Northern Triangle, Mexico and USA
In the past two years, there has been a considerable increase in the number of unaccompanied children and adolescents from the Northern Triangle who migrate to the USA, and in the number of migrant families with children, particularly young women with chi
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I Play, I Learn and I'm Safe: Project brief
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. This one-pager briefly presents the programme proces
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Children on the Move: Guatemala
Save the Children works with returned children and adolescents in vulnerable situations. Save the Children also collaborate with leaders, families and teachers from communities with the largest number of emigrating minors. Save the Children focuses on pro
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Putting Children at the Forefront: Save the Children's recommendations for a child-centred EU agenda on migration
Based on experience from work on the ground, Save the Children has identified a number of key issues that urgently need to be addressed by the EU and its Member States to ensure better management of mixed migration flows for children and their families. A
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Save the Children's Rescue at Sea
In September 2016, Save the Children launched the Mediterranean rescue operation Rescue at Sea. During its three months of operation, Save the Children’s search and rescue team, aboard the organisation’s rescue ship Vos Hestia, rescued over 2,700 lives, i
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Children on the Move: El Salvador
Save the Children works with children, adolescents, parents, teachers, leaders, and local authorities to build capacity, create local networks and promote laws for violence prevention. Save the Children also partners with the State and Civil Society Organ
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Children on the Move: Honduras
Save the Children partners with the Government (DINAF), Municipal and Civil Society Institutions, to build their personnel’s capacity on the Integral Attention for Children and Adolescents, especially the Migrant Population. Save the Children also coordin