Young women and men face different risks on their migration routes, and they also perceive these risks differently. This shows a new study co-led by the leading Swiss children's rights organisation Terre des hommes Lausanne together with research institute Mixed Migration Centre, Helvetas and GIZ. One North African city was found to be perceived particularly unsafe by young migrants.
Migration carries many risks, especially for children and young people. Terre des hommes Lausanne (Tdh), in collaboration with the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), Helvetas and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), has studied the risks faced by young migrants in West and North African cities.
Girls and boys face different risks
More and more young people in West Africa are migrating to escape poverty. Most of them stay in the region, moving to cities that promise them more opportunities for development. Although there are indeed more job opportunities there, young people, especially girls, are often exposed to rape, discrimination, exploitation and forced labour.
"On the border between Mali and Algeria, in Tinzaouten, I spoke to many young girls who had been raped - most of them were pregnant. They didn’t even know where they were. The dangers young migrants are exposed to on the route can have a significant impact on their lives”, says Nina Marx, Tdh’s Head of Migration.
The study found that women perceive more risks for their gender, while young men feel the opposite. The genders also differ in their perceptions of specific risks: the majority of the women and girls surveyed tend to see sexual violence and exploitation as a threat, while young men consider physical violence to be the greatest danger. In addition, respondents rated Mali’s capital, Bamako, as relatively safe, whereas Tunis is considered a particularly dangerous city for young migrants.
Better informed, better protected
Tdh actively contributes to the protection of children and young people during their journey and at their destination by providing them with support from social workers and making shelters available. There, children can access basic services such as emergency medical care, psychosocial support, clothing, food and hygiene kits. They can also be put in contact with host families.
In transit zones where social workers are not present, Tdh's mobile teams inform children and young people about possible risks on their migration routes, like forced labour or human trafficking, and show them how they can get support. Furthermore, Tdh is working to strengthen the capacities of local partners and governments.
"We are aware that we cannot completely prevent certain situations. However, thanks to our services, children and young people are better informed about what could happen to them and are therefore better protected", says Nina Marx.