TERRE DES HOMMES RECORD ANOTHER FEAT IN CHILD PROTECTION NETWORK

The objectives of  the gathering was to improve the knowledge of participants on child protection, child migration, child mobility and the Protective Accompaniment of Children (PAC),and  also to strengthen their knowledge on case management of children affected by Mobility, their knowledge on institutional and community based child protection mechanisms, data management.

Penpushing further reports that, the issue of child mobility, child migration is a new concept in the field of child protection and among child protection actors at a time when cases of child abuse are becoming rampant in our society.

Its refers to the movement of children between different geographical and social spaces, within their country of origin or across borders, while the causes and consequences of child mobility or child migration are neither positive nor negative, it is an ample and multifaceted phenomenon prompted by various causes and factors such as structural constraints, failure of school system, unfavourable life contexts, poverty, vulnerable households, harmful cultural practices, civil unrest and the rest.

This has caused many children to move in search of survival, job, education and better living conditions.  However, from the day an accompanied or unaccompanied child embarks on a migration journey, his or her chances of being abused continues to increase. The risks and dangers he/she is exposed to in their migratory routes include exploitation, trafficking, abuse, ritual killing and many more.

Penpushing also reports that, in an effort to mitigate this ugly situation which requires a strong synergy between formal and informal actors, Terre des hommes Foundation, the African Movement of Working Children and Youth and Enda Youth Action are implementing the project for the protection of migrant children along Abidjan-Lagos corridor (CORAL PROJECT) in five West African countries: Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria since April 2017.

This project is proudly financed by the European Union and the Swiss Development Corporation (SDC). This project was launched in Nigeria at Airport Hotel Lagos on the 21st of December, 2017.Child protection actors at the workshop were advised to work closely with the right people working in their key intervention areas, and it was noted that, children will only benefit from all interventions if all actors work together as a team.

Speaking at the workshop, the Head of Country Office of Terre des hommes in Nigeria Mrs. Osoba Olapeju told participants that the workshop is to ensure all participants recognise their roles in the protection of migrant children and how important it is to advocate for their rights.

Penpushing reports that, Osoba on the Coral project reminded the participants that not all children who are on the move are trafficked and that the fact that a child is on the move does not make him or her lesser child with limited rights.

The Head of Country Office advised participants to cultivate the habit of listening and involving every child in process of providing a solution to his or her need, pointing out that their intervention to children (migrant) should be personalised.

Penpushing reports that, participants at the workshop agreed that leaving the responsibility of the protection of migrant children to only the institutional actors without involving the community actors will not yield the desired result.

The primary host of children on the move is the community where they live, therefore it is pertinent to work directly with actors such as traditional rulers, chiefs, market leaders, religious leaders and influential people in our various community to impore the protection of the affected children, reduce their risk and increase their access to developmental opportunity and also strengthen community child protection mechanism. For a better protection of migrant children, let us work together’, participants stated.