International Conference on "Children on the Move"

Millions of children are on the move, both within and between countries, with or without their parents. Yet, in debates on both child protection and migration, children who move are largely invisible. As a result, policy responses to support these vulnerable children are fragmented and inconsistent.

The Global Movement for Children, with support from the Catalan Government, has convened an international conference on 5 to 7 October 2010 as a first step in the process of re-examining policy and programmatic responses to the protection and support of children on the move.

Ms Constance Thomas, Director of the International Programme on the Elimination of Child labour spoke in the first plenary expert panel on “Why a coordinated approach is needed” (Statement forthcoming).

Mr Hans Van de Glind, Senior Specialist on child trafficking spoke in the a plenary expert panel on day 2 dealing with Protecting children on the move from abuse and exploitation and facilitating access to basic services (Presentation).

Main objectives of the Conference

  • Promote a comprehensive understanding of the issue of children on the move, based on the best interests of the child
  • Share knowledge and learning experiences from initiatives for the support and protection of children on the move
  • Stimulate South-South and North-South collaboration and joint initiatives to improve the protection of children on the move

Conference programme

Please click here to see the detailed programme.

Participants

The Conference brought together:

  • International agencies, including UN agencies (e.g. IOM, UNICEF, UNHCR, ILO-IPEC)
  • Regional intergovernmental organisations (EU, Africa Union, etc.)
  • International NGOs (e.g. Plan, Save the Children, Terres des Hommes, World Vision)
  • Donors (Oak Foundation, institutional donors e.g. DFID, etc.)
  • Regional and national NGOs (e.g. ENDA Tiers Monde)
  • National Governments from North and South
  • Key experts and academics (UN Special Rapporteurs and Special Representatives; Sussex University, other key experts)
  • 8 children from various parts of the world will represent the views of their peers and attend a meeting the day before the conference and parts of the main event

Key resources