The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR or AREU. Motivations for leaving to Europe and other industrialized countries from the perspective of children, families and residents of sending communities in Afghanistan, Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit .. amp; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, December 2014. Echavez is Deputy Director of Research at the Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU).
Leah Wilfreda RE Pilongo is currently the Dean of Research at the University of Bohol, Philippines. The Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) is an independent research institute based in Kabul. AREU Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit CDCs Community Development Councils CSO Central Statistics Organization F Female.
Afghanistan is one of the most notable countries of origin for children making unaccompanied trips abroad. Family members in high transmission frequency areas usually had information about the risks of the journey when they decided to support their child's unaccompanied travel.
Introduction
Research objectives
Current research and evidence on unaccompanied children travelling from Afghanistan
Afghans constitute one of the largest groups of unaccompanied children traveling to Europe and seeking asylum there.6 In 2008, there were 13,600 asylum applications from unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in Europe, of which 3,825 were from Afghanistan. The reasons for the large number of unaccompanied children leaving Afghanistan are likely linked to a number of factors, as noted in the 2010 report, Trees Only Move in the Wind. 6 UNHCR, “Trees Only Move in the Wind A Study of Unaccompanied Afghan Children in Europe,” Geneva, Policy Development and Evaluation Service, 2010; ONE.
Council of Europe, Parliamentary Assembly, “Unaccompanied children in Europe: issues of arrival, stay and return”, UNHCR Resolution, “Trees move only in the wind.” p8. The UNHCR publication Trees Only Move in the Wind focused on unaccompanied Afghan children who had already been abroad. The study obtained information about the profile of unaccompanied children and their experiences on the way to Europe.
Other studies have focused on gathering information about networks that facilitate travel for unaccompanied children. Although the above literature has contributed to a growing understanding of the movement of unaccompanied children from Afghanistan, there are still a number of gaps in the evidence.
Research Methodology
- Site Selection
- Pre-fieldwork preparation
- Respondent selection
- The Study Sites
Children surveyed had to be under 18 years of age at the time of their attempt to go on an unaccompanied trip, or at the time of the interview, in the case of those who did not attempt to go on an unaccompanied trip. Children under the age of 15 represent approximately 44% of Kabul's population.21 The poverty rate in the province is 23.1%, almost 13% lower than that of the entire country. The province's unemployment rate is 10.7%, which is above the national average of 7.9%.22 However, Kabul Province's underemployment rate of 18.9% is much lower than that of the entire country (48.2
The province's literacy rate (46.8%) and female literacy rate of 30.2% are higher than the corresponding national average of 25%. Bamiyan is one of the provinces with the highest percentage of households with access to land or garden plots in the country (80% or more).29. Bamiyan is seen as the safest province in Afghanistan.30 However, road attacks occurred in the province in 2012, raising some security concerns.31 Illegal armed groups and warlords linked to the former Taliban regime remain in the districts of Saighan, Kahmard and Shiber. .
The province of Nangarhar is located in the eastern part of Afghanistan and shares a border with the Khyber Pukhtunkwa (KPK) province of Pakistan. Underemployment in the province (54.9%) is slightly higher than the country overall (48.2%). The province's literacy rate is 22.8%, only 2.2% lower than the national average, but female literacy is quite low, at only 6.9% compared to 11.4% for Afghanistan as a whole.
Nangarhar's settled population is and the province has been the destination for the second highest number of returning refugees in the country, with over 931,000 refugees being assisted by UNHCR to return to Nangarhar between 2002 and March 2014 .33 Security in Nangarhar province remains critical.34 The eastern and southeastern provinces, including Paktika and Nangarhar, experienced a combined 34% increase in conflict-related civilian deaths in 2011.35 Civilian deaths and conflict-related violence between security forces The number of insurgents and insurgents decreased slightly in 2012. Between 2010 and 2013, the number of improvised explosive device detonations and suicide bombings in civilian areas in the province increased, including the highly publicized attack on Kabul Bank in Jalalabad in 2012.36 Anti-government elements are present and engage in activities including the occupation of schools, in the Khogyani, PachirWaAgam, Chaparhar districts and to some extent in Sherzad district.
The province of Paktya has a population of with only 4% of the province considered urban. Although civilian casualties decreased in Paktya province in 2012, UNAMA and UNOCHA recorded a number of incidents in the province resulting in civilian deaths in 2013. , and of armed conflict between anti-government elements and pro-government forces. Civilian protection remains weak in Paktya province and government presence is almost entirely confined to the district center.43 It has been indicated that anti-government elements are taking greater control in some districts in the province, increasing the vulnerability of civilians in these areas.44 In some cases, power-sharing agreements and peace agreements have been entered into between the government and anti-government elements.
Findings
Sometimes when friends get together, they make the decision to travel out of the country." (M, 38, M, FM, IDI-Paktya). Because of the bad situation, we were obliged to send him out of the country.". In contrast, in the low steering areas of Bamiyan and Paktya, children usually do not have the support of the family for the unaccompanied journey.
He made the decision to leave the country, but he did not inform us of his decision. Usually it is the eldest or the head of the family who makes the decisions. Most families take information from those who have gone abroad.” (Amir, 50, M, KII-Paktya).
Relatives of children who undertook an unaccompanied journey were generally aware of the risks. Although I was unaware that he was going [on an unaccompanied trip], I was aware of the potential risks. Relatives from areas with a high transmission frequency also showed knowledge of the risks of the unaccompanied journey.
Although most people are aware of these risks, they still take the journey and are happy with it. Yes, we thought of the risks, but my sons were too excited to leave the country. Some children were somewhat aware of the risks of the journey; while others had little information.
Some of the children did not think about the risks they might encounter on the journey, while others considered the risk and decided that the journey was nevertheless worthwhile. Because of the thought of being unemployed, it is better to go to Iran and work there to support my family. Mostly it is the head of the family who makes the decision, but my brother made this decision to go to Europe alone.
From Iran we went to Australia, but I was not aware of the departure points from there.”. I knew the starting points: Gardez-Kabul-Nimroz-Iran-Turkey.” (Said Ghani, 25, M, a formerly deported UACM, IDI-Paktya).
Summary, Conclusion and Recommendations
Bolivian Immigrants in Argentina.” Paper presented at the Workshop on Independent Child Migrants: Policy Debates and Dilemmas, 12 September 2007, London, retrieved 7 September 2012 from Afghanistan: Country of Origin Information for Use in the Asylum Determination Process, May 2012, Retrieved March 7, 2013, from Hashim, Iman.“The Positives and Negatives of Children’s Independent Migration: Assessing the Evidence and the Debates”, September 2006, Onttrek 1 September 2012 van Unaccompanied Migrant Children Online in Europe', 2012, retrieved 25 November 2012 from Children on the Move for Work and Education« Prispevek, predstavljen na: Workshop on Independent Child Migrants: Policy Debates and Dilemmas, London, 12. septembra 2007, Pridobljeno 21. septembra 2012 s Paper presented at the International Symposium on International Migration and Development Turin, Italy, 28-30 June 2006, Retrieved 13 December 2012 from
