Childhood Journeys: Unveiling the Complexities of Child MigrationA Look at the International Symposium on Child Mobility and Migration

By Henrietta Nyamnjoh, Erdmute Alber, and Gabriel Sangli*

Introduction

Human mobility, encompassing migration and various forms of movement, significantly impacts individuals and societies. While adult migration has been extensively studied, child migration remains an under-researched area. The 2020 International Organization for Migration (IOM) report sheds light on the migration and mobilities of children, a topic often overlooked.

An international symposium titled “Mobility and Migration of Children: Transitions to Adulthood in the Context of South-South Migration” was held at the Institute of Social Sciences (INSS) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, from November 12th to 16th, 2024. This symposium, funded by the German Research Foundation under the Point Sud Programme, delved into the intricate components and processes associated with child migration and mobility, particularly focusing on the opportunities encountered by children as they transition to adulthood.

The symposium attracted 35 researchers and practitioners from diverse countries including Burkina Faso, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, Britain, Nigeria/France, Germany, Ghana, Madagascar, Mali, Netherlands, South Africa, and Uganda. Their collective expertise facilitated a comprehensive exploration of the unique characteristics of child migration.

Recognizing that children often face distinct vulnerabilities during migration, the symposium emphasized the significant adaptation challenges they encounter. These challenges necessitate children to navigate complex social, economic, and cultural environments while striving to make sense of their mobile lives.

Diverse Perspectives on Child Migration

The symposium featured ten panels, fostering a rich exchange of ideas and insights. Discussions centred on the heterogeneous nature of child migration, encompassing diverse motivations such as work, education, opportunity seeking, and survival. Noticeably absent from the presentations were themes and representations that focused on the benefits or advantages of childhood migration, with most presentations framing migration solely as a crisis, and highly skilled migration and its impact on children. A more nuanced, inclusive and comprehensive approach in framing these issues would significantly open up to a holistic understanding of childhood mobilities.

Challenging Traditional Definitions

A key focus of the symposium was challenging traditional definitions of “childhood” and “migration.” Participants emphasized the need to consider factors beyond age, such as gender, socioeconomic status, and cultural context. The concept of “mobility” was proposed as a more nuanced lens through which to view child migration. Mobility encompasses temporary, circular, seasonal, or repeated movements, providing a more comprehensive understanding of children’s diverse experiences.

Defining children raises issues beyond the age criteria typically set by legal frameworks and international conventions, such as the UN and AU Conventions on the Rights of the Child (under 18 years). When differentiating between children, adolescence, and youth, it is essential to move beyond age as the sole defining category. While age provides a basic framework, other intersecting factors, such as gender, socioeconomic status, and cultural context, play a critical role in shaping these identities. Researchers and stakeholders emphasize that this standard approach ignores the cultural, social, and contextual realities that shape childhood in different environments. Against this backdrop, researchers suggest the following considerations beyond age:
 the socio-cultural roles, and maturity levels of children in various contexts (e.g., child workers or heads of household);
 Integrate elements related to their cultural environment and local norms to better understand their status and needs;
 Consider the child’s own view of their status in society.

The experiences of mobilities differ significantly between boys and girls, as they are affected and respond in distinct ways. Family obligations tend to weigh more heavily on girls than on boys. This shift in roles often leads to questions about when children cease to be children. Themes of intersectionality, inequality, and patriarchy are particularly prominent in these dynamics.

The concept of “mobility” in lieu of “migration” encapsulates the children’s trajectories given it reflects a more nuanced and inclusive approach to understanding displacement dynamics, particularly among children and youth. This term encompasses all forms of movement, including temporary, circular, seasonal or repeated movements. It highlights the varied motivations, such as work, education, the search for better opportunities or survival in a context of vulnerability. As regards “migration”, it is often associated with a definitive movement between two distinct locations (departure and arrival), thus emphasizing the temporal dimension. However, this definition excludes certain types of movements, such as circular or temporary movements, which are nevertheless essential and must be considered for a more complete and nuanced understanding of population dynamics, especially that of children whose trajectories are never linear.

For instance, the movements of children within Burkina Faso or Ethiopia is influenced by the background of their own societies, which shape their perception of themselves and their sense of age. Researchers and stakeholders emphasize that this standard approach ignores the cultural, social, and contextual realities that shape childhood in different environments.

Unveiling Research Gaps

The symposium also highlighted critical research gaps, including the need for more investigation into rural-urban mobilities of children and the mobilities of children from non-poor families. It stresses the importance of recognizing that not all migrant children originate from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as some are sent on the move for education, opportunities, or to engage in family networks or businesses. Significantly, it is important to emphasize on the pathways of mobilities of boys and girls and how they are impacted.

Innovative Research Methods

Researchers emphasized the importance of using flexible research methods that are sensitive to children’s experiences. By involving children as co-creators in the research process, they are empowered as both actors and participants. This approach recognizes the value of their unique perspectives in understanding their experiences, especially the adjustments they make to reach their desired destinations, given the challenges faced by migrant children.

Additionally, the researchers highlighted the importance of understanding the underlying reasons for migration, including the inherent human desire for movement and the search for better opportunities. To ensure ethical data collection, the use of creative methods such as photos, drawings, videos, and technology was suggested to facilitate communication and capture the complexities of their experiences.
In the quest for innovative research methods, participants maintained the need for an inclusive and sensitive way of data collection that include:

 Use of photos and photovoice, drawings or videos to allow children to express their experiences in a creative and non-intrusive way;
 Use of technologies that facilitate indirect communication such as the telephone to reduce barriers related to mistrust or intimidation.

The Importance of Personal Connection

The symposium underscored the importance of establishing personal connections with children affected by migration. Building trust and rapport can help researchers gain a deeper understanding of their experiences.

It points out how the connection between Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and other neighbouring countries exemplifies the aspirations and hopes that drive migration. By the same token, connection between the stay-behind and Dr Sangli (one of the symposium organisers) resulted in the children participating and interacting with researchers at the symposium. These are children whose parents migrated to Côte D’Ivoire to work in the cocoa plantations.

Following security concerns, an initial planned meeting with the children in one of the villages with the most migrant parents, was shelved and the children travelled to Ouagadougou to interact with the participants. The selected children came under the auspices of the Action for Children and Health in Burkina Faso (AES/Burkina), coordinated by one of the conference organisers Dr Sangli Gabriel who explained that the main criterion for choosing the children who participated at AES/Burkina was the vulnerability of the host household after a survey of all the households to which the stay-behind lived in, in the intervention zone of the AES project.

Thus, 32 parents or guardians of the stay-behind children were trained in trades, including 31 in livestock breeding and 01 in weaving. As for the stay- behind children, 11 including 6 girls and 5 boys were trained in different trades (mechanics, weaving, sewing, welding and carpentry) of their choice and provided with seed capital upon completion. Of these numbers, five were present at the symposium including two guardians. The funding for training was made possible through the Migration Development and Inequality (MIDEQ - https://www.mideq.org/en/) project funded by UKRI.

Child Mobility: A Complex Issue

The symposium concluded with a call for greater attention to the complexities of child migration, for those who migrate as well as those who stay – the stay-behind. Participants emphasized the need to move beyond generalizations and recognize the diverse motivations and experiences of children on the move.

The situation of children in Burkina Faso (as well as Ghana, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia, Madagascar, South Africa and Uganda) calls on researchers to intentionally and prudently observe ethical parameters of child research while seeking personal connection in the interest of the child. Such an approach not only alleviates their experiences but also emphasizes the need for researchers to be fully present and empathetic during the research process.

Conclusion

The symposium on child mobility and migration provided invaluable insights into the complex and multifaceted nature of this phenomenon. By challenging traditional definitions, unveiling research gaps, and advocating for innovative and ethical research methods, the symposium has set the stage for a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of child migration. The emphasis on personal connection, understanding the diverse motivations and experiences of children on the move, and recognizing the importance of context and intersectionality are crucial steps toward creating effective policies and interventions that protect and empower children affected by migration.

About the Authors

Dr. Henrietta Nyamnjoh, a researcher based at the University of Cape Town, focuses her work on the complexities of child migration and human mobility. Henrietta.nyamnjoh@uct.ac.za

Professor Erdmute Alber, an anthropologist at the University of Bayreuth, investigates social change in West Africa (specifically Benin, Togo, and Ghana), with a particular interest in the interplay between politics and kinship.

Dr. Gabriel Sangli is a geographer-demographer and lecturer in Geography at the Higher Institute of Population Sciences at Prof. Joseph KI-ZERBO University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. His research explores the intersection of geography and population dynamics.