IOM and UNICEF Launch New Operational Note to Strengthen Child Protection Along Migration Routes
Participants attending the Child Protection Forum in Nouakchott, Mauritania, visit an alternative care facility supported by IOM and UNICEF as a form of exchange of good practices. IOM October 2024.
In a step toward enhancing the protection of children on the move, IOM and UNICEF have jointly launched the Regional Child Protection Operational Note. Developed through close collaboration between their Regional and Country Offices in North, West, and Central Africa, this initiative is part of the sixth phase of the IOM Regional Development and Protection Programme (RDPP) for North Africa. The programme is funded by the European Union through the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs and the Italian Ministry of Interior.
This new Operational Note is more than just a document—it’s a practical, dynamic, and multi-dimensional tool designed to support frontline workers and child protection practitioners across North Africa and key transit countries such as Niger and Mauritania. Its primary goal: to strengthen cross-border coordination and ensure a continuum of care for children on the move.
Rooted in inter-agency child protection case management guidance and aligned with key international child protection frameworks, the Note offers a series of thematic focuses on:
- Cross border coordination and continuum of care
- The right to identity and birth registration
- The best interests of the child and legal guardianship
- Insights into sustainable solutions, alternative care and addressing child smuggling and child trafficking
By compiling best practices, operational resources, and real-world examples, the Operational Note equips practitioners with the tools they need to respond effectively and collaboratively to the complex needs of children on the move.
This initiative underscores the power of regional cooperation and inter-agency collaboration in addressing the vulnerabilities of migrant children and ensuring their rights and well-being are protected every step of the way.