From access to services to climate-related drivers of migration: children and young migrants in India and West Africa share reflections and recommendations
The 12th Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) annual meeting took place in Ecuador last week. Governments, civil society, mayors, the private sector and young people, including migrants, came together to discuss strategies and share experiences of managing migration, including in relation to labour migration, regular pathways, climate change and access to services.
With the support of Destination Unknown, young people and children in India and West Africa held their own ‘remote’ discussions about the issues being debated in Quito. Read the recommendations from 26 young people from 4 states in India and recommendations from children and young people from Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
The Global Forum on Migration and Development is an important space for people from different sectors to discuss how to better cooperate on and share experiences of migration and development. Attendance at global meetings is limited – and not always straightforward for people affected by migration. But this is not the only way to engage children and young people. With plans already underway for the 13th forum and all the deliberations that will take place at reginal and global level throughout 2020, Destination Unknown calls on governments to:
- Bring the voice and perspective of young people and children, particularly those with experience of being on the move, to the regional and global discussions to ensure those discussions and outcomes are informed by the views of children and young people who are affected
- Consult with children and young people on the move or affected by migration at national and local levels leading up to the regional and global meetings
- Raise awareness and capacity of young people about global migration mechanisms to bring the global discussions to local/ national/ regional levels.
- Include young people in government delegations.
- Continue to support – and increase funding for - the Youth Forum and ensure it is formally linked with all the regional GFMD meetings.
Picture: Drawing from collection of drawings by participants of Tdh and Destination Unknown organised workshop with children and young people in Benin 2019. ©Tdh Foundation
