1.1. Focus on children and unaccompanied minors
Deteriorating socio-economic conditions, conflicts and humanitarian funding shortfalls increase the risk of displaced children suffering direct or extreme forms of structural violence, including forced military recruitment. The journey from the country of origin to the country of asylum is typically a traumatic experience, with a heightened risk that children may be subjected to physical and sexual violence, forced labour and exploitation by smuggling networks along the route.Save the Children (2022): "Wherever we go, Someone does us Harm": Violence against refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe through the Balkans. https://www.savethechildren.net/news/children-migrating-europe-experien…
It is estimated that, in certain cases, as many as one-third of displaced children have developed trauma and a persistent fear for their safety.Norwegian Refugee Council. (2022, September 6). Iraq: Repeated displacement causes trauma among a third of children. https://www.nrc.no/news/2022/september/iraq-repeated-displacement-cause…
The physical and mental health of children in the context of forced displacement remained a key concern of the international community in 2022. A progress report on the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in 2022, showed a critical regression of childhood well-being and highlighted that children’s prospects of having a healthy and productive life declined sharply.World Health Organization, & United Nations Children’s Fund. (October 2022). Protect the promise: 2022 progress report on the every woman every child global strategy for women's, children's and adolescents' health (2016-2030). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240060104 Displaced children who often live in overcrowded conditions face the risk of malnutrition and viral diseases, while access to health services may be limited. Their education is often disrupted, which may have an adverse long-term impact on their personal and social developmentNorwegian Refugee Council (2022): Mali: Insecurity and lack of funding force over half a million children out of school. https://www.nrc.no/news/2022/june/mali-insecurity-and-lack-of-funding-f…,Education Cannot Wait (2022): The climate crisis disrupts the education of 40 million children every year. https://www.educationcannotwait.org/news-stories/press-releases/the-cli…
Multistakeholder cooperation has focused on providing psychological support, creating or improving school infrastructure, including teacher training, and facilitating family reunification in the context of displacement. In March 2022, the UN Human Rights Council held a panel discussion on the rights of the child and family reunification. The Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants observed how separation from families may have detrimental effects on children’s mental and physical health and called national authorities in host countries to integrate unaccompanied migrant children into national child protection systems without discrimination.United Nations. (2022, March 9). Human Rights Council Holds Panel Discussion on Family Reunification in the Context of Migration. https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/meeting-summary/2022/03/reunion-… The High Commissioner for Human Rights presented the findings of his report on the risks children may face, especially in the context of migration, and offered a series of recommendations to prevent separation and better support family reunification.United Nations Human Rights Council. (2022, March 2). Rights of the child and family reunification: Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Advance edited version). https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ohc…
