ACERWC
African Committee of Experts on
the Rights & Welfare of the Child
route, many of them of African origin, said they were fleeing violence, prosecution and war.132
Several of them also mentioned economic opportunities, education and family reunification as
one of the main reasons. Similarly, the Regional Mixed Migration Secretariat in Niger and Mali
has pointed out that children in most African countries said they were on the move for economic
reasons, attracted by job prospects in northern African countries like Libya.133 This seems to be a
stable trend. Indeed, several accounts of children interviewed in the last 10 years tell a story of
mixed migration.134 For instance, a survey by CARITAS-Morocco in 2011 analyzing the files of 719
child migrants in Morocco indicates that 50% of those whose nationality is known (40 of the total
number covered by the study) indicated that they were fleeing conflict or political tension in their
country of origin. 20% of them were in search of better economic opportunities.135
Conflict and insecurity
Internal displacement
Illegal activity
Economic and
social drivers
Poverty
Trafficking
Child abuse
Forced marriage
Refugees
Smuggling
Harmful practices
Climate change
Recruitment into armed forces
Education
Forced Labour
Violent extremism
Economic Opportunities
Weak domestic child protection
Visual 1: Classification of drivers of movement among children in Africa
Not all reasons behind movement are negative (e.g. forced). Furthermore, reasons for
movement may change during the journey. The 2017 survey by UNICEF suggests that, for children
aged 14 to 18, the reasons for migration as well as the final destination may change as the
journey goes on. When interviewed in Niger and Mali, most migrants on that route said they were
on the move for economic reasons, attracted by job prospects in northern African countries like
Libya.136
3.2.1 Conflict and Insecurity
Conflict is one of the main causes of movement of people and children, in Africa and globally.
Africa is the continent with the highest prevalence of conflicts.137 It has been argued that no other
132
133
134
135
136
137
UNICEF & IOM. 2017. Harrowing Journeys: Children and Youth on the Move across the Mediterranean sea,
at risk of trafficking and exploitation. p15
Migration Hub. 2017. Children on the move: selected issues and recommendations from studie on the
children on the move. p2
See M Garzon, H. 2011. Enfants Migrants Maroc: Etude prospective. http://www.pnpm.ma/wp-content/
uploads/2017/03/ETUDE-PROSPECTIVE-SUR-LES-ENFANTS-MIGRANTS_APS.pdf Last accessed:
7 June 2018.
CARITAS Maroc (2011), Mineurs migrants séparés de leurs parents, une enfance en danger
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) & International Organization for Migration (IOM). 2017.
Harrowing Journeys: Children and youth on the move across the Mediterranean Sea, at risk of trafficking
and exploitation. New York: UNICEF. P15
African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Concept Note for the
Commemoration of the Day of the African Child (DAC) 2016 P 4.
40