Young migrants and refugees set out to escape harm or secure better futures – and face staggering risks in the process. For children and youth on the move via the Mediterranean Sea routes to Europe, the journey is marked by high levels of abuse, trafficking and exploitation. Some are more vulnerable than others: those travelling alone, those with low levels of education and those undertaking longer journeys. Most vulnerable of all are those who come from sub-Saharan Africa. These findings come from a new UNICEF and International Organization for Migration (IOM) analysis of the journeys of some 22,000 migrants and refugees, including some 11,000 children and youth, interviewed by IOM. The report calls on all concerned parties − countries of origin, transit and destination, the African Union, the European Union, international and national organizations with support from the donor community – to prioritize a series of actions. These include establishing safe and regular pathways for children on the move; strengthening services to protect migrant and refugee children whether in countries of origin, transit or destination; finding alternatives to the detention of children on the move; working across borders to combat trafficking and exploitation; and combatting xenophobia, racism and discrimination against all migrants and refugees.

This paper is part of the IOM Migration Research Leaders Syndicate’s contribution toward the Global Compact for Migration. It is one of 26 papers that make up a consolidated Syndicate publication, which focuses on proposing ways to address complex and pressing issues in contemporary international migration. The Migration Research Leaders Syndicate, convened as part of IOM’s efforts to extend policy and technical expertise in support of the Global Compact for Migration, comprises senior researchers from diverse geographic, disciplinary and thematic backgrounds. The Syndicate provides a channel for leading experts in migration to propose ideas to meet the ambitious goals outlined in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants of September 2016.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive global and systemic forms of human rights violations that exist today. Even though many migrant women do not encounter violence and benefit from migration, for some of the 105 million international migrant women worldwide, violence and discrimination can appear at the very start of the migration process and under various forms. This factsheet provides an overview of this critical issue and highlights a number of initiatives from around the globe through which IOM and partners strive to address the particular needs and rights of all migrant women and girls.

Migrant workers often experience precarity in their migration journeys, and the state structures and programs designed to ‘protect’ migrants have the potential to increase migrant vulnerability to exploitation; financial exploitation, enduring physical harm, rights abuses or various forms of coercion. The increased use of managed migration programs to control migrant flows have introduced a thriving private sector migration industry which facilitates the employment and migration needs of migrants in sending countries, and caters to government and industry (employer) requirements in receiving countries. Migrant workers can be subject to economic exploitation and even violence at the hands of private intermediaries, employers and government authorities. This vulnerability is exacerbated by migrants’ limited access to information and support networks in countries of destination and insufficient levels of social protection and gaps in the governance frameworks in countries of origin.In addition to these common risks, women migrant workers (WMWs) face gendered and specific forms of exploitation and human rights abuses associated with gender norms and stereotypes. Their labour is highly concentrated in devalued, gendered and often invisible labour sectors that are plagued by labour abuse (including excess hours and poor pay), physical and psychological abuse and sexual violence.

In an effort to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement agencies in Nigeria on gender-based violence and trafficking in persons, the International Organization for Migration in Nigeria previously developed two training guides for the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). As one of a three-part training package, this manual is based on a capacity assessment and consultation conducted with the NPF and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in North-East Nigeria. This manual is practical and operationally oriented and is not designed as a series of lessons or academic treatise, but a practical “how to” guide that integrates and contextualizes training materials, resources, research and best practices developed by other agencies and experts to fit NPF and NSCDC needs in North-East Nigeria.

This paper is part of the IOM Migration Research Leaders Syndicate’s contribution toward the Global Compact for Migration. It is one of 26 papers that make up a consolidated Syndicate publication, which focuses on proposing ways to address complex and pressing issues in contemporary international migration. The Migration Research Leaders Syndicate, convened as part of IOM’s efforts to extend policy and technical expertise in support of the Global Compact for Migration, comprises senior researchers from diverse geographic, disciplinary and thematic backgrounds. The Syndicate provides a channel for leading experts in migration to propose ideas to meet the ambitious goals outlined in the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants of September 2016.

Human rights don’t disappear the moment an earthquake, a hurricane or a tsunami strikes. We witnessed after the Indian Ocean tsunami, the earthquake in Haiti and many other disaster situations that during relief and recovery efforts the protection of human rights gains in importance as it can safeguard the dignity of those affected. People are at their most vulnerable in times of crisis so preventing discrimination and abuse is vital. To promote and facilitate a rights-based approach to disaster relief, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) adopted Operational Guidelines on Human Rights and Natural Disasters in 2006. The Guidelines are a major contribution to the promotion of a rights-based approach in situations of natural disasters. Following the feedback from the field-testing of the guidelines we have incorporate lessons-learned from the field into a revised version of the Guidelines. This revised version also expands the rights-based approach to include preparedness measures. Small steps in preparedness can have a major impact once a disaster strikes.

The overall objective of this framework document is to strengthen cooperation between IOM and UNHCR with respect to the identification and protection of victims of trafficking (VoTs). Specifically, the document intends to encourage the development of standard operating procedures between IOM and UNHCR at country level, and suggests a procedure for cooperation to ensure that the available expertise, capacities, and potential of each agency are effectively employed to deliver the best possible protection and assistance for victims of trafficking.The framework document highlights key areas for coordination and cooperation that are global in nature and should be adapted and adjusted to particular regional and national contexts. In particular, the document focuses on two areas where IOM and UNHCR play a key role: the identification of VoTs, the provision of protection and assistance and the promotion of sustainable solutions.

En la resolucion 63/156, la Asamblea General resaltó la necesidad de proteger y ayudar a todas las víctimas de la trata, respetando plenamente sus derechos humanos, y enunció medidas concretas, dirigidas a los Estados y otras partes interesadas, para prevenir y eliminar la trata de personas, en particular de mujeres y niños. La Asamblea pidió al Secretario General que le presentará en su sexagésimo quinto periodo de sesiones, un informe sobre la cuestión. El presente informe se ha elaborado en respuesta a esa solicitud y se divide en cuatro partes: la primera parte es la introducción; la segunda parte contiene las medidas adoptadas por los Estados miembros y; la tercera parte enuncia las actividades emprendidas por el sistema de las Naciones Unidas para combatir y eliminar la trata de mujeres y ninas. En la cuarta parte figuran las conclusiones y recomendaciones para la adopcion de medidas futuras.

Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 71/167, the present report contains information on successful interventions and strategies, as well as gaps, in addressing the gender dimensions of the problem of trafficking in persons and recommendations on the strengthening of human rights-based and gender- and age-sensitive approaches within comprehensive and balanced efforts to address trafficking in persons.