Refugees and Migration
A child forced to flee his or her home is exposed to tremendous risks and suffering, and prevented from fulfilling their potential. The average time spent in displacement is 17 years. For children, this is their whole childhood. Beyond the immediate impact that this has on children, there are also long-term consequences. When whole generations from countries devastated by conflict are distressed and left behind, it gives way to problems for entire societies. Widespread displacement requires urgent action. While this must be built on political solutions at the source of the problem, it must also include practical solutions for the millions of refugees today. And this can start by providing opportunities for refugee children and opportunities for displaced families to earn a living. There is also great potential in public-private partnerships.
The security situation in Ukraine has significantly deteriorated following the launch of a Russian Federation military offensive on 24 February 2022. Learn how the private sector can help in this brief OCHA Business Guide to the Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis.
Children’s rights are an essential investment in a sustainable future. Safeguarding these rights helps build the strong, well-educated communities that are vital to creating stable, inclusive and productive societies. The private sector impacts children’s lives both directly and indirectly, and all companies in all industries – global, regional or local – can make a difference. Business activity influences the daily life of children in a number of ways, from impoverished communities where children are held back from getting an education because they need to support the family with their income, to the marketplace where children react to marketing messages and learn about the world via the many products surrounding them. Companies that want to take part in the movement pushing sustainable development forward, creating the world that we together have formulated in the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030, need to safeguard, empower and consider the opinions of those we should be creating that world together with. Considering children’s rights holds the possibility of enriching your business and easing your way into the challenges of the future. Read these statements from companies and businesses that have incorporated a child rights approach into their work.
Economic migration, migration on the grounds of employment or financial stability, continues to play a key role for households in East Africa. With a specific focus on the private sector in Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda this report focuses on four issues: the characteristics of migrant parents; child support strategies and mechanisms; the impact of migration on the migrant and left-behind children; and child support expectations for the migrant parents. The report provides many recommendations but focuses on the responsibilities and actions of the private corporate sector and the necessity of corporate social responsibility through building child rights awareness, developing sustainable business principles at the workplace, and a focus on child protection.