Mapping Children on the Move within Africa From the foregoing, it is apparent that conflict is the major cause of movement of children in Africa. 3.2.2 Illegal activities 3.2.2.1 Smuggling Smuggling has been established as one of the main causes of movement of children in Africa. Millions of children are on the move as they flee conflict, disaster or poverty in pursuit of better conditions of living.166 Oftentimes, children find very limited opportunities to move legally. Opportunities like family reunification, work or study visas, humanitarian visas and refugee settlement spots are beyond the reach for many children.167 However, obstacles to legal migration does not stop children from migrating but pushes them and their families underground.168 In the course of movement when children encounter difficulties in accessing legal channels, they ‘resort to dangerous routes and engage smugglers to help them cross borders.’169 As such the smugglers facilitate movement of children from one country to another. UNICEF notes that smuggling is ‘a lucrative trade, and many smugglers will manipulate, extort and take advantage of the gullibility and vulnerability of the migrants under their care, often leaving them at the mercy of kidnappers’.170 Although data collection on smuggling remains at infancy, it is estimated that globally about ‘2.5 million migrants were smuggled for economic return of 5-7 billion US Dollars in 2016.171 Smugglers range from individuals assisting people to move in exchange for a fee to structured criminal networks that deliver minors into dangerous and exploitative conditions.172 When families place children in the hands of smugglers, the transaction sometimes becomes an abusive and exploitative one particularly in cases where families and children incur debts to pay fees to the smugglers.173 Migrant and refugee children are susceptible to violence and abuse as well as ‘being preyed upon by smugglers and even enslavement by traffickers.’174 In certain situations, children resort to living in streets, begging, petty crime and selling sex in order to avoid detention while they save up to pay smugglers to assist their movement.175 In West Africa region smugglers facilitate movement of people through the Mediterranean route through Libya into Italy and Europe generally.176 Kidnappers mainly operating in Libya attempt to capture migrants including children and imprison them with the aim to extort money by demanding ransom or selling them as slaves.177 In Zimbabwe lack of documentation for unaccompanied children makes smuggling rife. Smuggling is seen as a common challenge because 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 UNICEF, Protecting Children on the Move from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation Executive Summary 2017 p 2. As above. As above. As above. UNICEF 2017 (n 166 above) p13. UNODC, The Global Study on Smuggling of Migrants 2018 p 5. UNICEF, Protecting Children on the Move from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation - Executive Summary 2017 p 2. As above. UNICEF, Protecting Children on the Move from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation - Executive Summary 2017 p 4. UNICEF, Protecting Children on the Move from Violence, Abuse and Exploitation - Executive Summary 2017 p 3. UNICEF (n 166 above) p13. As above. 45