LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP): ENHANCING ACCESS TO PROTECTION, EDUCATIONAL & LIVELIHOODS OPPORTUNITIES, AND STRENGTHENING NATIONAL PROTECTION ...
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© UNHCR/Federic Noy LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP): ENHANCING ACCESS TO PROTECTION, EDUCATIONAL & LIVELIHOODS OPPORTUNITIES, AND STRENGTHENING NATIONAL PROTECTION SYSTEMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH ON THE MOVE IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA (2021–2023)
FRONT COVER: Reufgee girls playing at in Djabal Camp, Eastern Chad.
@ UNHCR/Federic Noy
BACK COVER: Three young women wait by the roadside in Gao, Mali at dusk, just metres
from the site of a terrorist bombing a year before.
@ UNHCR/Mark Henley
2 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)
© UNHCR/Arturo Rodríguez
The Spanish coastguards intercept
a traditional fishing boat with Sub-
Saharan Africans crossing to Spain off
the island of Tenerife in the Canaries
KEY STATISTICS – MIXED MOVEMENT
& CHILD PROTECTION IN WEST &
CENTRAL AFRICA
At least
25% increase in persons of concern to UNHCR in
1,825
the West and Central Africa region in 2020
230
people believed to have
died along land routes from
East and West Africa to
documented cases of child recruitment in Mali during
Libya and Egypt between
the first half of 2020, more than the whole of whole of 2019
2018 and Oct 20201
and double the number of cases detected in 2018.3
58% 23,023
arrivals in Canary Islands, Spain, in 2020, representing
of displaced families surveyed a 753% increase as compared to 2019
in the Sahel Protection
54%
Monitoring Project reported of respondents in the Sahel Protection
that their children did not Monitoring Project reported either forced
regularly attend school2 labor (32%) or child marriage (22%) as the most
common protection risks in their community4
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 3
BACKGROUND
WEST & CENTRAL AFRICA: PRINCIPAL REFUGEES, IDPS AND STATELESS PERSONS WEST as of&31
CENTRAL AFRICA
March 2021
PRINCIPAL REFUGEES, IDPS AND STATELESS PERSONS
Figures available as of 31 March 2021
LIBYA
ALGERIA
MAURITANIA
SUDAN
68,855 NIGER
MALI 16,938
12,890A
20,236
17,262
346,864 55,625 CHAD
SENEGAL 14,114
A
A
82,604 104,588 401,511 372,220
44,741
4,019 36,163 127,233 16,294
GAMBIA
A 15,896 A
A
A
3,522
1,147,699
A BURKINAA
7,696 A
AGUINEA-BISSAU FASO 728,688 A
A 321,886
2,150,243
21,568 27,042
GUINEA 115,695
BENIN A
TOGO 104,914
A SIERRA 4,202 NIGERIA
COTE D’IVOIRE SOUTH
LEONE A
8,391 SUDAN
1,427
339 GHANA A
2,231
1,656,330 738,279
LIBERIA 66,038 1,041
7,438 3,519 1,802
A A
A A 320,970 5,541
28,412 A 987 CENTRAL
A AFRICAN
A
A REPUBLIC
A 711,056 CAMEROON
A
A
A
173,731
20,700
E.G.
International border
REPUBLIC OF
GABON THE CONGO DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Undetermined border
OF THE CONGO
IDPs
Refugees
Stateless persons
Refugee movement
The boundaries and names shown, and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
The boundaries and names shown, and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Sources: UNHCR, Governments, IOM, UNCS. Feedback: rbwcadima@unhcr.org
Context ROUTES THROUGH WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA TO EUROPE
ITALY
SPAIN
Cagliari
PORTUGAL
Thousands of refugees and migrants leave their
homes or countries of origin and undertake dangerous
Tunis
Algiers
MALTA
Lampedusa
TUNISIA
journeys across the West and Central African region as Rabat
Oujda
Medenine
Tripoli
they seek to reach other countries within the region, MOROCCO
Bani Walid
North Africa or Europe. In doing so, they risk their lives,
ALGERIA Deddeb
Canary Islands
LIBYA
physical safety and dignity at the hands of traffickers Ghat
Sabha
and smugglers, and are exposed to extrajudicial killings, Western
Sahara
Tamanrasset
Kufra
sexual violence, torture, arbitrary and prolonged MAURITANIA
detention, starvation, extortion, being left to die in the Arlit
NIGER
desert, and forced and exploitative labour. Timbuktu
MALI Gao
Agadez
SENEGAL CHAD
BURKINA Niamey
GAMBIA FASO N'Djamena
The West and Central Africa region currently hosts
GUINEA Bamako Ouagadougou Kano
BISSAU
GUINEA
11.3 million persons of concern to UNHCR. This is SOMALIA SIERRA
LEONE COTE
NIGERIA
D’IVOIRE
a 23% increase compared to the beginning of 2020, LIBERIA
mainly due to the surge of displacement in the central
Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger). Other addition, the region is host to several smaller refugee
major drivers of displacement in the region are the populations, often in protracted situations, as well as a
Lake Chad Basin crisis, the continued instability in small number of individual cases needing international
Central African Republic, the North-West and South- protection due to factors such as political affiliation
West crisis in Cameroon, and conflict in Darfur, giving or membership in a particular social group. The
rise to an influx of Sudanese refugees into Chad. In generalized instability in the region is also a basis
4 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)
for fluid, volatile and interconnected movements. or customary caregivers, and they often are at
Uncertain political and security environments, armed heightened risk of abuse, violence, exploitation and
conflicts, coupled with environmental problems/ lack of appropriate care in their best interest. Girls
challenges (droughts, desertification, deforestation, and young women, as well as boys and young men,
coastal erosion, and flooding) and lack of economic are exposed to torture and sexual violence, as well
opportunities cause different forms of displacement as other forms of violence and severe human rights
which characterizes the region as one which is abuses, both en route and within the destination
particularly high in human mobility. countries. Those opting to halt their journey and
return to their countries of origin often face stigma
Movements driven by socio-economic factors have and further abuse, and usually do not have access
long been in the focus of the public debate, while to appropriate counselling and protection services
the presence of persons in need of international to address distress arising from their experience.
protection in mixed movements has been historically In addition, they often find it difficult to return due
less visible due to a lack of reliable data. Since 2015, to lack of educational opportunities, qualification,
however, monitoring and research has considerably vocational skills, and employment options.
increased, leading to a wider recognition of the
forced displacement component amongst mixed The challenging political and economic context
movements in the region5. Moreover, the worsening of the region6 also impacts the fulfilment of child
conflict in the Sahel has not only led to massive rights. Mortality and birth rates are high, and
internal displacement and refugee flows, but also extreme poverty is on the rise (six out of 10 of the
threatened overall asylum space within the region. countries ranked lowest on the Human Development
Combined with the risk of spill-over conflict into Index are in the region7). West Africa has a very
coastal countries, this is likely to fuel further forced young population with limited access to formal
displacement within and beyond the region in the employment and learning opportunities in areas with
coming years. Data on conflict-related displacement very low human development indicators. Children
shows that many of the top refugee-producing are perceived as both an unavoidable “asset” to the
countries are also home to the highest numbers family and a potential source of income through
of IDPs (for example, in Mali). IDPs may become domestic labour, agriculture and other activities.
refugees or migrants, and refugees returning to their Child migration is often seen as a survival strategy
countries of origin risk becoming internally displaced for risk mitigation and often represents the last hope
again if their return is premature, unprepared or to enhance economic opportunities or to escape
involuntary, or when they return to inadequate forced recruitment. Children recruited by armed
conditions (insecurity, shelter, livelihoods, dignity). groups are usually abducted, separated from their
In West Africa, the movement of migrants and families and communities, and transported to other
displaced populations, including internally displaced regions or countries. In West Africa, this problem
persons, refugees and asylum-seekers, returnees principally affects Mali, due to active armed groups
(both refugees and IDPs), is interconnected, and their in the north, and Nigeria, due to the insurgency by
geographical trajectory is often determined by the Boko Haram.
fluidity of their legal status vis-à-vis international
legislation and protection capacity. Children are recruited by armed groups to prepare
food, as messengers, to man checkpoints, and as spies.
Girls are often victims of sexual violence.
Children and youth on the move
Finally, as a crisis within the crisis, COVID-19
Countries in the region are at the same time countries exacerbated the risks faced by children and
of origin, transit and destination, particularly for the aspirations among many to pursue irregular
children and youth on the move. Conflict and movement to Europe through the Western
instability, combined with economic factors and Mediterranean Route. Loss of income, in particularly
climate change-induced natural disasters, and through loss of employment, is more frequently
traditional practices – including child marriage and reported to UNHCR among IDPs and refugees with
child labour – prompt girls, boys, young women and children; and children are more frequently affected
men to leave their countries of origin. Children on by lack of basic goods. Access to education has been
the move include those separated from their parents deeply impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.8
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 5
© UNHCR/Rahima Gambo Students at a morning assembly in North-East
Nigeria (Lac Chad Basin).
While UNHCR and other organizations have OVERARCHING PROJECT OBJECTIVES
increased collaboration and protection programming
in key countries of transit, destination and return, While interventions will vary at the country level, this
many challenges and gaps remain. This includes three-year initiative is divided into five key protection
lack of sufficient resources and adequate staffing objectives:
to both provide direct services and to work toward
strengthening national protection and social welfare 1. Protection of children & youth strengthened
systems to ensure sustainable services for those against the risks associated with onward
returning home, those remaining in transit/asylum movement;
countries, as well as those contemplating undertaking
2. Alternative care and support structures for children
the perilous journeys across borders.
and youth strengthened;
3. Access of children and youth to education,
UNHCR response: Live, Learn & Participate professional training and livelihood opportunities
Project improved;
4. Access to family tracing and reunification and other
To address critical protection and assistance gaps,
durable solutions strengthened;
UNHCR is launching a three-year cross-regional appeal
to extend and strengthen its protection for children 5. Regional and country-level coordination strengthened
and youth through the West and Central Africa Live, leading to better outcomes for children and youth.
Learn & Participate (LLP) project (2021-2023). Investments in the above activities will positively
contribute to both reducing the risk of movement and
The LLP will specifically target at-risk children and accompanying protection risks – especially for children
youth on the move in Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali, and youth the most at-risk – while supporting the
encompassing returnee children, those living as reintegration of children returning to their countries of
refugees or asylum-seekers in the three countries origin or previous countries of asylum and building off
and those transiting through these countries. of existing national support structures.
Additionally, there is a strong cross-regional
coordination component included in this appeal to Community-based child protection and child
bolster overall mixed movement and child protection participation will be an integral component of the
programming in the whole West and Central African project. Detailed project development during the
region, while building capacities and developing second and third years will increasingly involve
strategies for child protection and youth-led children, youth, their parents and extended community.
initiatives. Children, youth and their communities will also be
involved in project monitoring and evaluation.
6 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)
A ten-year old refugee follows the
instruction of her teacher in Djabal
Refugee Camp in Eastern Chad.
© UNHCR/Sylvain Cherkaoui
ENSURING ENDURING CHANGE
This three-year appeal will not only work towards will also support other countries in the region to
strengthening the national child protection systems address challenges and risk for children. Burkina
for the duration of the project but will also aim to Faso, Cameroon and Nigeria are experiencing
strengthen these systems so as to ensure continued significant protection issues for children and young
support to children after the project is completed. people on the move and those at risk of moving,
Support will include contribution of key resources the situation being compounded by ongoing conflict
and infrastructure, including IT equipment to and instability. At the same time, countries such as
strengthen birth registration, rehabilitation of Senegal, Ghana, Liberia, Gambia and Niger are not
classrooms and child friendly spaces and training able to adequately respond due to weak national
for national child protection personnel. UNHCR and systems, lack of child protection actors and limited
partners will also strengthen its advocacy where resources.
access to national child protection systems is limited
for children of concern to UNHCR (refugees, asylum Coordination mechanisms will also be strengthened
seekers, internally displaced, stateless children). across the region and across actors. The Regional
Bureau will, in line with the Economic Community of
Similarly, training for civil society organisations and West African States (ECOWAS) Strategic Framework
community-based child protection mechanisms for Strengthening National Child Protection Systems
will contribute to the continuation of prevention to Prevent and Respond to Violence, Abuse and
and response services for children, their families Exploitation against Children in West Africa, enhance
and youth. The project will be overseen, monitored coordination between UNHCR, UNICEF and IOM in
and supported by the UNHCR Regional Bureau for this area. Knowledge and skills amongst UNHCR staff,
West & Central Africa with key contribution and partners and national government counterparts will
support from the UNHCR Special Envoy for the be developed through joint training initiatives. Inter-
Central Mediterranean Situation. Children and youth agency efforts will be established and strengthened
benefitting from the project will provide continuous for the identification of children and young people at
feedback and oversight to help both program design risk to improve the provision of protection responses,
and implementation. including comprehensive case management, timely
referrals, and links to opportunities for durable
While Chad, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali will focus on solutions for children and youth transiting across
prevention and response services for children on borders.
the move as part of this appeal, the Regional Bureau
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 7
TARGETED INTERVENTIONS FOR
SUPPORT AND SCALE-UP:
CHAD, COTE D’IVOIRE & MALI
SPOTLIGHT: CHAD CHAD: Situation of Refugees, IDPs and Returnees
CHAD: Situation
as of 30 April 2021 of Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons
and Returnees as of 30 April 2021
Located in the centre of the African continent, Chad LIBYA Refugees by Country of Origin
504,867
Refugees Sudan 374,230
is simultaneously a country of origin, a zone for & Asylum-seekers
CAR 112,782
401,511
transit, as well as a country of asylum and destination IDPs Nigeria 16,624
107,810*
for thousands of children and young people from Returnees** TIBESTI
Other 1,231
different backgrounds. The deteriorating socio-
UNHCR Branch Office
economic situation in recent years, conflicts and food UNHCR Sub-Office
UNHCR Field Office
insecurity in Chad and its neighbouring countries have Refugee camp
Refugee hosting village ENNEDI OUEST
led to repeated movements of people from and into Urban refugees
Dispersed refugees
Chad. This situation has been further exacerbated by
ENNEDI EST
IDP sites
BORKOU
the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected access NIGER
to protection, livelihood opportunities, and education Amdjarass 35,691
Oure Cassoni
for children and youth. KANEM
WADI FIRA
Iridimi
Iriba
128,556 Touloum
Mile Amnabak
Guéréda
As of April 2021, UNHCR and the CNARR (National
BARH-EL-GAZEL
LAC Kounoungou
401,511
BATHA Kouchaguine-Moura
Dar Es Salam Farchana
Commission for the Reception and Reintegration of Baga-Sola Abéché Farchana
16,193 145,978
Gaga
Treguine
Adré
Bredjing
SUDAN
Hadjer-Hadid
Refugees and Returnees) have registered nearly
30,160
OUADDAÏ
SILA
HADJER-LAMIS
505,000 refugees and asylum seekers, mainly
64,724 Goz-Beida
N'Djamena Djabal
Goz Amir
NIGERIA 6,259
Kerfi
Koukou-
originating from Sudan, Central African Republic,
Angarana
CHARI-BAGUIRMI GUÉRA
Tissi
and Nigeria. 52% of this population is made up of 1,509
SALAMAT
children of whom 73% are under 12 years. Child Bongor
8,596
Haraze
MAYO-KEBBI
protection activities have led to the identification of
MOYEN-CHARI Moyo
EST
TANDJILÉ
MAYO-KEBBI 43,833*
OUEST MANDOUL
2,500 unaccompanied and separated children (UASC). LOGONE LOGONE 27,229
OCCIDENTAL ORIENTAL
59,403
10,729
Maro CENTRAL AFRICAN
Belom
REPUBLIC
Implementing Best Interests Procedures for case
Moïssala
CAMEROON Dosseye
Doholo
Amboko
Gondje
33,817* Goré km
management and providing appropriate support to
0 100 200 400
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations
* Returnees in South: last assessment in Nov 2019 (IOM-DTM) / ** Returnees: Chadians returned from abroad, at risk of statelessness
all these children remains a significant challenge. In Data sources: UNHCR, CNARR (Refugees & Asylum-seekers); IOM-DTM (IDPs, Returnees) Feedback: Filip Hilgert, hilgert@unhcr.org Creation date: 14 May 2021
addition, Chad also hosts over 401,000 IDPs linked to The Live, Learn and Participate project in Chad will
the conflict in the Lake Chad Basin. benefit up to 25,000 children and youth over three
years.
According to a UNHCR report9 on Mixed Movements in
KEY ACTIVITIES BY OBJECTIVE:
Chad, the displacement of populations within Chad can
be categorized as a mix of forced movements – linked Protection of children & youth strengthened against
either to armed conflicts – and voluntary movement the risks associated with onward movement:
linked to economic factors. Among the 24,125
individuals on the move interviewed across Chad, • Conduct large-scale sensitization activities through
children (up to 17 years old) and young people (15 to culturally tailored information, education and
24 years old) represented 4,091 people, or 17% of the information campaigns for children and youth – as
individuals. The economic context and local constraints well as their families, caregivers and communities –
make regular and systematic monitoring challenging. to understand the risks of onward movement;
Both children of host communities as well as migrant and • Working with national authorities (Ministries for
refugee children are at risk of being subjected to forced Social Action, Early Childhood department, Justice,
labor in the agricultural sector or to beg on streets in etc) and partners, to scale-up identification and
urban areas. Many are sexually exploited and at risk of assessment of unaccompanied and at-risk children
child trafficking. in key locations and 74 entry points to ensure early
and comprehensive interventions occur.
8 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)
© UNHCR/Olivier Laban-Mattei
Central African refugees and Chadian
children from the host community play
football against other young Central
African refugees in the Dosseye refugee
site, southern Chad.
Alternative care and support structures for children adequate materials to children in need (e.g. solar
and youth strengthened: radios).
• Scale up identification, training and monitoring of Access to family tracing and reunification and other
foster care families so that more unaccompanied durable solutions strengthened:
children can benefit from high-quality family-based
care; • Working closely with ICRC and the Chadian
Red Cross to expand family tracing services by
• Increase overall cash support and availability enhancing outreach and telephone and digital
of income generating opportunities for families tracing services in both camp and reception sites;
fostering at-risk children to ensure the basic needs
of the family and child are met. • Increase access to rights-based third country family
reunification as well as resettlement through
Access of children and youth to education, enhanced profiling of the most vulnerable children
professional training and livelihood opportunities and youth at-risk.
improved:
Regional and country-level coordination
• Construction and rehabilitation of child- strengthened, leading to better outcomes for children
friendly spaces to enhance Sports-for-Protection, and youth:
educational and developmental activities;
• Enhance identification screening and response
• Support youth-led livelihood activities for through capacity-building for the government and
young entrepreneurs and ensure that market- Chadian Red Cross partners operating at the 74
based vocational training is available for youth border entry points of Chad;
aged 18-24 years, a key group at risk of irregular
movements and forced recruitment; • Operationalize inter-agency referral and case
management mechanisms between agencies to
• Support remote education initiatives and provide ensure better outcomes for children at-risk.
Child & Youth Friendly Spaces in Chad
The continued displacements and funding gaps have resulted in a lack of adequate safe spaces for children
and youth to meet, interact, and engage in recreational activities. As a result, many children and young
people in eastern and southern Chad spend their time idling, significantly impacting on their development,
protection and wellbeing. Construction of additional child friendly spaces to meet the needs of increasing
child-population, and rehabilitating those that have fallen into disrepair will make a positive contribution
not only to the development of children and young people, but will also serve as a hub for identification of
children at risk and children on the move/at risk of movement, and ensure appropriate support is provided.
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 9
COTE D’IVOIRE
Côte d'Ivoire: Persons of Concern to UNHCR Persons
as ofof15concern
March 2021
Map
As of 15 Mars 2021
MALI
1,234,359
Dapaong
PERSONS OF
CONCERN 515 BURKINA FASO
TOGO
1,656,330 STATELESS OR
AT RISK OF STATELESSNESS
Refugees in Côte d’Ivoire by Country of Origin
274,058 IVORIANS
RETURNEES
Liberia 987
3,268 INTERNAL
DISPLACED PERSONS
CAR
Syrian 142
525
237,683
2,502 REFUGEES
& ASYLUM SEEKERS 16,385
DRC 136
Poro
Kabadougou Congo 85
GUINEA
Rwanda 53
4,712 Others 45
Burundi 35
Kouankan II Turkey 34
SIERRA LEONE #
B Bafing 83,117
Togo 17
Worodougou CÔTE D'IVOIRE
Mali 12
104,507 Sudan 10
Nzerekore Cambodia 10
8
TOGO
Gontougo Eritrea
Iffou
Tonkpi Fetentaa TOGO
177,537
94,460 #
B Sunyani
1,648
LIBERIA Bahn Camp Marahoue N'Zi
#
B 175,255
Yamoussoukro
Yamoussoukro
18,007 GHANA
175
Guiglo
Cavally A
Belier GHANA
Monrovia
36,787 75,226
A
Zwedru
197,255 135,851
A Goh
103,398
#
B 79 Agneby-Tiassa
7,386
PTP Camp
911 Accra
Abidjan Sud-Comoe Accra
National Capital Abidjan
(Regional
5,480 69,084
Hub)
UNHCR Representation 65,752 148,546
#
B
746 Krisan
##
B B Egyeikrom
UNHCR Sub-office Main Return Areas
Takoradi
Ampain
Bas-Sassandra 217,275
UNHCR Field Office Population Movements Litlle Wlebo
#
B 1,243
UNHCR Field Unit X # of Ivorian Returnees NORTH
ATLANTIC
B Refugee Camp X # of Ivorian Refugees and new arrivals
# OCEAN
100 km
Refugees in CIV # Stateless or at risk of statelessness The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Printing date: 25 Jan 2018 Sources: UNCS, UNHCR Author: UNHCR - HQ Geneva Feedback: mapping@unhcr.org Filename: UNHCR_ArcGIS_Template_A4L_2
Printing date: 14 May 2021 Sources: UNHCR, Government Filename: UNHCR_CIV_Situation_Map Feedback: kamdem@unhcr.org
SPOTLIGHT: CÔTE D’IVOIRE children, this includes gender-based violence, such
as harmful traditional practices, lack of access
Located in the Western Coastal area of the African to education, child labour, lack of psychosocial
continent, Cote d’Ivoire is home to a population of support and limited or absent case management
refugees, returnees and asylum-seekers. Ivorians services. Returnees, for instance, struggle to regain
additionally are represented among the top five West possession of their former assets and to access civil
and Central African nationalities seeking protection status documentation, leaving children particularly
or well-being in the European Union, often after vulnerable to exploitation and young people without
undertaking risky irregular journeys by sea. According access to further development and work. Risks of
to Eurostat, 6,480 Ivorians sought asylum in Europe detention or refoulement are present for asylum
in 2020.10 A number of measures were taken by the seekers at the border, including children and young
Government of Côte d’Ivoire to modernize essential people on the move. The inability to find their
services and institutions, including new laws adopted families/relatives, abuse and violence by family
to reform the civil status system, the criminal members who may have financed their journeys,
justice system and some areas of family law, which lack of social protection, educational and skills-
supported ongoing efforts to reduce statelessness. development opportunities, as well as livelihoods
issues are the challenges that are frequently faced by
As of 15 March 2021, Côte d’Ivoire hosted over returnees, refugees and asylum seekers alike.
2,500 refugee and asylum-seekers. There were also
nearly 1.66 million people at risk of statelessness, At the same time, as a destination country within
while voluntary return of refugees continues to the West African region, Côte d’Ivoire has seen a
take place. Throughout 2020, some 327 refugees shift in migration trends. According to estimations
repatriated. In Cote d’Ivoire, returnees, refugees by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of
and asylum seekers face integration challenges the United Nations (UN DESA)11, the total number
and additional protection risks. For returning of international migrants aged 0-24 months in Côte
10 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)© UNHCR/David Azia
Ivorian youth pose for a photograph as they wait for their
belongings to be tagged and loaded onto a truck on the eve
of their voluntary repatriation to Côte d’Ivoire.
d’Ivoire reached 684,857 in 2019. It should also be KEY ACTIVITIES BY OBJECTIVE:
noted that 7 out of 10 children, aged 5 to 17, are
economically active in Côte d’Ivoire. The agricultural Protection of children & youth strengthened against
sector alone employs 71% of these children. the risks associated with onward movement:
Children employed in cocoa and coffee plantations,
• Multi-sectoral assessments, consultations
mineral mines and other fields, work long hours, also
and mappings will lead to an increased
at night, carry heavy loads, handle agrochemicals or
understanding of the current magnitude,
clear fields with sharp tools.12 In cocoa fields alone,
characteristics, and trends of child protection
it is estimated that 300,000 to 1 million children
and risks for youth in refugee, asylum-seeking,
that are working under conditions considered to
returnees and stateless population, and in
be among the worst forms of child labour.13 In
mixed movement flows through Cote d’Ivoire;
urban areas, girls are often employed in under-paid
domestic arrangements and boys in carpentry or • Increased collaboration with authorities
assisting taxi drivers. An additional concern for Côte (particularly law enforcement and government
d’Ivoire includes the prevalence of child prostitution social workers) to improve frontline child-
due to poverty. The UN DESA survey showed that it friendly responses and identification
is often survival prostitution that allows school-aged mechanisms.
children to cover their school fees or to obtain good
grades. Alternative care and support structures for children
and youth strengthened:
This three-year project will have a positive impact • Train clergy, cultural leaders, and para-social
on the living and development conditions of at least workers on good foster care practices, and
15,000 children and young people in Ivory Coast. enhance community support to identify foster care
families;
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 11Access to education, professional training and SPOTLIGHT: MALI
livelihood opportunities improved:
• Provide cash and material support as well as Located in the volatile Sahel region in West Africa,
vocational opportunities to youth in Cote d’Ivoire Mali’s humanitarian situation worsened rapidly
transitioning to adulthood; since 2019. Armed attacks spread from the north to
the centre of the country, as well as at the borders
• Support youth-led projects such as radio programs
of Burkina Faso and Niger, and caused population
which raise awareness on available programs and
displacements on both sides. The situation in the
important topics like GBV, violence against children
centre of the country also triggered intercommunal
and onward movement;
conflicts, with the creation of self-defence militias
• Facilitate access to education for returnees and by communities in conflict posing serious threats
support/create remote education initiatives where to both State authorities and civilians. As an area of
appropriate. mobility, intermixing and integration of populations
of diverse origins (refugees and other persons under
Access to family tracing and reunification and other UNHCR mandate), Mali plays an important role as a
durable solutions strengthened: country of origin, transit and reception of persons on
the move to West Africa, North Africa and Europe.
• Support identification, documentation and
reintegration of returning Ivorian children into their
As a country of asylum, as of February 2021 Mali
families after they return from migration journeys;
had received over 48,000 refugees and asylum-
• Strengthen services across agencies and seekers from Burkina Faso, Niger and Mauritania, of
government partners to better trace families and which children represent 60%. A significant increase
once located, integrate Ivorian children returning in the refugee population has been noted in recent
from migratory journeys in order to deter them months, mainly in the border areas of northern and
from both secondary journeys and child labor. central Mali, following the deterioration of the security
situation in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.
Regional and country-level coordination These refugee arrivals have been accompanied by
strengthened, leading to better outcomes for cross-border return movements of former Malian
children and youth: refugees, raising the number of former Malian
• Operationalize inter-agency referral, case refugees having returned to their country of origin to
management and follow up monitoring close to 85,000.14 Of the returnee population, 63%
mechanisms between agencies to ensure better are children of which 489 are unaccompanied and
outcomes for all categories of children (refugee, in need of specialized integration support to help
asylum-seeker, returnee and migrant) in Cote them trace their parents or legal guardian, as well
d’Ivoire. as ensure their wellbeing before, during and after
reunification. Conflict in Mali’s Centre and North also
leads to internal displacement, with close to 350,000
persons displaced within the country. While children
and youth in mixed movements receive assistance
from the Government of Mali, many young people do
not have access to these integration projects due to
several factors (issues with identification of individual
needs, remoteness of localities of return, emphasis on
group assistance, etc.) and find themselves back on
the migration routes in search of opportunities. Mali
is also faced with the expulsion of its nationals and
those of other West African nationalities, particularly
from Algeria and Libya. According to the Incident
Prevention and Response Mechanism in place
between UNHCR Algeria, Niger and Mali, there were
in 2020, 22,631 reported expulsions from Algeria to
Niger and Mali.
12 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)MALI
Mali: Situation of Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and Returnee as of 31 January 2021
Situation of Refugees, Internally Displaced Persons and Returnee As of 31 January 2021
Malian refugees in asylum countries (UNHCR)** 155,151 REFUGEES IN MALI BY COUNTRY OF
ORIGIN
Malian refugees returnees (Government, DNDS) 84,743 Niger 16,938
Tessalit
amako
IDPs (Government, DNDS) 346,864 Mauritania 15,697
Burkina Faso 12,890
IDP returnees (Government, DNDS) 582,079
Kidal
Tombouctou
Central African Republic 945 Bourem
ALGERIA Goundam
Refugees in Mali (Government, CNCR) 47,577 Timbuktu
Côte d’Ivoire 520
Gao
RD Congo 272
Asylum Seekers in Mali (Government, CNCR) 974 37,650
Niono
Ansongo
Douentza
Mopti Others 86
53,543 2,053
Tenenkou
Koro
Bandiagara
305,617
890 Macina Rep. of the
Djenne Congo 30
2,373 Segou Bankass
2,184
Kidal
Kenieba
65,960
Atlantic Sikasso
37,650
Ocean MAURITANIE
69,984
156,422
16,183 69,141
Timbuktu 22,429
6,740
68,410 Agadez
UNHCR Representation Gao 16,282
UNHCR Sub-representation M’bera Gao Menaka Intikane
Bassikounou NIGER
UNHCR Field Office 4,503
Koulikoro 144,899 Goutoure TinHedja Koutougou Abala
Mangaize Tahoua
UNHCR Field Unit Kayes Mopti
45,911
Gne-Gne
Gandafabou Ayorou Ouallam
Refugee Camp 4,240 Deou Goutoure
2,574 215 Tillabery
1,250
3,140
Refugee Site 231
39,46 Mopti
Mentao Dori Niamey
15,851
3,304
Number of Malian refugees in CoAs* Segou
19,816
Number of Malian refugee returnees 565
Bamako
Number of IDPs 4,142 Ouagadougou NIGERIA
1,984
Number of IDP returnees BURKINA FASO
5,802
Urban Refugees Sikasso BENIN 145
107
Rural Refugees 10 79
*
*Movement of populations
GUINEA GHANA TOGO
CÔTE D’IVOIRE
* (CoAs) Country of Asylum ** Burkina Faso figures (from 31 December 2020).
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations. Feedback: gatoto@unhcr.org| sanogos@unhcr.org http://mali.humanitarianresponse.info www.unhcr.org
Creation date : 04 February 2021 Sources: Government of Mali : Malian Refugees Returnees and IDPs-DNDS. Refugees in Mali-CNCR. Malian refugees-UNHCR.
Persons of concern to UNHCR, on the move As schools remain closed due to conflict, insecurity,
crossing through or starting their journey from COVID-19 or teachers’ strikes, children are also
Mali, risk their lives and physical integrity on mixed pushed towards informal gold mines, particularly in
movement routes. In central and northern Mali, where Gao and Kidal where many areas are controlled by
humanitarian access is impeded and government armed groups.
presence is limited, persons on the move and
expelled individuals are at significant risk of human Rapid child protection assessments found an
rights violations by armed groups and forces (sexual estimated 6,000 children, disproportionately boys,
violence, extortion, human trafficking and smuggling, working across eight mine sites in the country. They
loss and/or lack of civilian documentation). Central are exposed to the worst forms of child labour,
Mediterranean routes are also under the control economic exploitation, and physical, sexual and
of organized smuggling networks from the capital psychological abuse.15
to the border regions in the north of the country.
Unaccompanied or orphaned children are particularly The Live, Learn and Participate project in Mali will
vulnerable to trafficking and other exploitation, benefit at least 12,000 children and youth over three
including sexual exploitation, forced begging, hawking years.
goods on the streets, and other child labour, including
the worst forms of child labour.
Armed groups are also trafficking children for labour
in gold mines, using profits to enrich combatants,
fuel the arms trade and finance the violence.
Extortionate “taxes” are also imposed on adults
operating in those gold mines.
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 13© UNHCR/Leandro Andres Salazar-Lievano
An internally displaced Malian girl listens
to classes on her solar-powered radio,
donated by UNHCR to facilitate distance
learning during COVID-19.
KEY ACTIVITIES BY OBJECTIVE: Access of children and youth to education,
professional training and livelihood opportunities
Protection of children & youth strengthened against improved:
the risks associated with onward movement: • Enhance formal and informal education
• Thoroughly map the top protection concerns for opportunities for children and youth displaced
children throughout the different regions in the throughout the country;
country in order to plan a comprehensive response; • Create youth leadership and communication
• Through a newly created Child Protection Unit in opportunities though conducting connectivity and
UNHCR Mali, further engage the government and communication assessments involving children and
other agencies and develop a strategy on how to youth, conducting capacity building for young
better respond to children in mixed flows in Mali. people in leadership and empowerment, and
designing and implementation of communication
Strengthening of alternative care and support with communities strategy with youth people in the
structures for children and youth: lead.
• Develop a community-led foster care system
Access to family tracing and reunification and other
for refugee and Malian children in both urban and
durable solutions strengthened:
more remote locations;
• Tracing and reintegration services for Malian
• Enhance case management systems for children
children to be enhanced, both for returning
deemed to be high-risk i.e. children with
Malian children from migratory routes to ensure
disabilities, unaccompanied children, child victims
their rapid reintegration, as well as Malian children
of trafficking and survivors of GBV.
internally displaced and refugee/asylum-seeker
children.
Children & Youth Leadership in Mali
Children and youth are not only recipients of services Regional and country-level coordination is
but have the right to be part of and lead processes that strengthened leading to better outcomes for children
advance their rights. As such, the project will focus and youth:
on identifying children and young people of concern
• UNHCR Child Protection staff will ensure a
from the community in both urban and northern
more permanent and vocal presence in national
Mali, providing training on leadership, engaging them
structures and forums which pertain to child
in assessing child and youth specific connectively and
protection and child rights issues in order to ensure
communication needs, developing and implementing
continued advocacy for all categories of children in
youth led communications strategy, and establishing
Mali.
links with financial partners and integration project.
14 LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP)REGIONAL LLP BUDGET (2021–2023)
Country Budget (USD) Item No. Item Description Budget (USD)
Chad 6,970,949 Protection of children & youth strengthened
1 against the risks associated with onward 6,198,145
Côte d’Ivoire 5,702,313 movement
Alternative care and support structures for
Mali 6,299,285 2 3,698,191
children and youth strengthened
Regional Component – Access of children and youth to education,
Regional Bureau in 3 professional training and livelihood 8,477,487
1,235,400
Dakar and Overall opportunities improved
Coordination
Access to family tracing and reunification and
4 1,531,673
TOTAL 20,207,947 other durable solutions are strengthened
Regional and country-level coordination is
5 strengthened leading to better outcomes for 302,460
children and youth
TOTAL 20,207,947
ENDNOTES
1. Based on 4Mi survey data in 2018 and 2019, as well as additional open sources. See UNHCR and MMC, On this journey, no one cares if you live or
die, July 2020, https://www.unhcr.org/protection/operations/5f2129fb4/journey-cares-live-die-abuse-protection-justice-along-routes-east-west.
html.
2. UNHCR Project 21 Sahel Protection Monitoring Dashboard https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiNzc4Y2M0YjItZTA5Mi00MzI3LTljOTItN
DRmNzNkMTk3N2QyIiwidCI6ImU1YzM3OTgxLTY2NjQtNDEzNC04YTBjLTY1NDNkMmFmODBiZSIsImMiOjh9.
3. Global Protection Cluster Report: AFTERSHOCK. Abuse, exploitation & human trafficking in the wake of COVID-19, pg 6, available
at: https://www.globalprotectioncluster.org/wp-content/uploads/Global-Protection-Update_191120.pdf?utm_source=Test&utm_
campaign=1206f25469-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_04_21_12_50_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_31b0ba1067-1206f25469-.
4. Ibid.
5. For example, see Save The Children’s 2018 Report Young and on the Move in West Africa, available at https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.
net/node/14327/pdf/055_young-and-on-the-move.pdf.pdf and the 2018 African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the
Child entitled Mapping Children on the Move within Africa, available at https://www.acerwc.africa/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/ACERWC_
Study-Mapping-Children-on-the-Move-within-Africa-Nov2018-_A4_Website-version.pdf.
6. Both unaccompanied and accompanied children from West Africa on the move towards North Africa and Europe are often invisible during
their transit through Niger and Mali, on their way to Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, and Libya. As such, the number of unaccompanied migrant
children along these routes is unknown, with only fragmented data available.
7. These countries include Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso and Sierra Leone. See United Nations Development Index
(HDI) 2020 report available at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/content/statistical-data-tables-7-15.
8. According to an internal UNHCR report, 7.4 million are of school age. Their access to education is limited, with 4 million unable to attend
school. Some 1,645,000 refugee (PoC) children and youth who were in school in 29 countries before the pandemic are currently not attending
due to institutional closures. As noted in a recent UNHCR report on education during COVID-19, “The post-lockdown forecast for refugee girls
is particularly grim. By analysing UNHCR data on school enrolment, the Malala Fund has estimated that half of all refugee girls in school will not
return when classrooms reopen […] For countries where refugee girls’ gross secondary enrolment was already less than 10 per cent, all girls are at risk
of dropping out for good. That is a chilling prediction, which would have an impact for generations to come.” UNHCR, Coming Together for Refugee
Education Report, September 2020, pgs. 5-6; https://www.unhcr.org/5f4f9a2b4.
9. Report on Mixed Migration in Chad, UNHCR and Altai Consulting, March 2018.
10. EuroStat data available at: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/main/data/database.
11. UN DESA data available at: https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/estimates19.asp and
https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/data/estimates2/data/UN_MigrantStockByAgeAndSex_2019.xlsx.
12. Humanium, Children of Ivory Coast, https://www.humanium.org/en/ivory-coast/
13. Tulane Report Focuses Attention on Child Labor in Cocoa Industry – stopchildlabor. FINAL REPORT 2013/14 (dol.gov), Child labour rising
in Ghana and Ivory Coast’s cocoa farms: Study | Child Rights News | Al Jazeera.
14. UNHCR Data Operational Portal, available at: https://data2.unhcr.org/en/country/mli.
15. UNHCR Global Press Release on the rise in child trafficking in Mali, available at: https://www.unhcr.org/news/
press/2020/12/5fc62ead4/child-trafficking-mali-increasing-conflict-covid-19.html.
LIVE, LEARN & PARTICIPATE (LLP) 15© UNHCR/Mark Henley
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