The migratory condition reinforces the situation of vulnerability that the children already faced in their place of origin and, as the risk factors during the displacement process accumulate, the more likely the children are to develop psychological disorders

Peregrino Magazine, January/July 2017 issue, n. 26 - By Igor B. Cunha (CSEM team)

Although children make up less than a third of the global population, it is now estimated that children in refugee situations account for around half of all refugees in the world. According to a 2016 UNICEF report, 28 million children have been forcibly displaced by violence and conflicts at home and at borders, and millions more have had to migrate in search of a safer life^[1]. The issue becomes more sensitive when they migrate alone: in Mexico alone, the number of unaccompanied children and adolescents in transit increased by 333% from 2013 to 2015^[2].

The migratory condition reinforces the situation of vulnerability that the children already faced in their place of origin and, as the risk factors during the displacement process accumulate, the more likely the children are to develop psychological disorders^[3]. In addition to coming from places in conflict or being part of populations in delicate social situations in their countries, migrant and refugee children also have to go through the process of adapting to a place with different habits and customs - which often doesn't have integration policies aimed at them. In addition, factors such as forced displacement itself, exposure to various forms of violence and the loss of family members due to precarious forms of displacement are equally damaging to their mental health^[4]. 

 In 2017, in addition to the political crises and countless conflicts around the globe, the mental health crisis faced by some peoples as a result of wars and armed conflicts is evident - approximately 45% of the refugee children under UNHCR protection came from Syria, which has been experiencing a merciless war for the past 6 years^[5]and Afghanistan^[6]which has been experiencing internal conflicts for decades. The traumatic events that these young people and children are forced to face influence their personal perceptions and expectations, culminating in emotional, cognitive and moral development problems. It is a challenge to find immediate and practical solutions for children who have suffered this type of trauma for a prolonged period of time, such as displaced and refugee children^[7].

The guarantee of adequate education, the child's permanence with family members and the support that these and the rest of external society must have for the child are basic and achievable help factors in the face of the impasses of child migration and refuge. The commotion raised by the issue, when accompanied by action, especially on the part of workers, volunteers and organizations in direct contact with migrant and refugee populations, aims to improve the process of protection and adequate support for children in the context of this profoundly humanitarian crisis. Conflicts such as those in Syria and Afghanistan will never be forgotten by the children who suffered them, and humanity has a role to play in ensuring that they are not forgotten at a global level, working to perpetuate peace and reduce the suffering of these vulnerable and innocent groups.