Harnessing the Demographic Dividend: Population Growth, Migration and Refugee Crisis ( Teaching Material )

In every migration crisis in the world, women, youth and children are the most vulnerable. Safeguarding their inalienable rights and well-being is therefore an international obligation of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and their partners, to protect the conditions that cause refugee movements toward building a prosperous Africa free from migration and refugee crisis. Over the past decade, the number of migrants requesting for international protection has augmented exponentially. The Geneva Convention on refugees and its ensuing Protocols unconstrained refugees to international protection, most importantly, to the right not to be returned to their home countries. The complexity of national and sub-regional issues requires cooperative problem-solving, drawing on viable solutions internationally to address the exacerbating migration crisis in the Sub-Saharan Africa. It’s in tandem with these humanitarian concerns that I’ve chosen the theme: Population, Migration and Refugees for this blog to discuss in detail the figures—coupled with the unstoppable ongoing attacks by Boko Haram, ISIS, AL Qaeda, etc, which have gained a foothold in Africa.

In adopting the Solemn Declaration as well as the Agenda 2063 process and framework of The Heads of State and Government, recognized that the African identity and the African Renaissance are important elements of Africa’s total emancipation and development. In line with the Agenda 2063, the African Union Commission translated the Agenda 2063 into concrete objectives, milestones, actions and measures and adopted a Strategic Plan (2014-2017) which defines eight priority areas including Peace, Stability and Good Governance. Cognizant of key AU frameworks for action on peace, including the Common African Defense and Security Policy (CADSP), Continental Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), AU Border Programme (AUBP), AU’s Policy Framework on Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development(PCRD) African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance and the African Union Peace Fund.

My blog intends to make a unique contribution to stop refugee movements and illegal migration through education and creative arts. More importantly, to demonstrate how the arts can be applied to achieve important social objectives in the African society on the Mandate of the UNHCR and IOM objectives. This include: ‘Migration governance, migration policy, evidence-based migration policy, break downs in migration governance, migration and social policy, effects of migration, migration drivers, patterns, and trends, as well as migration cultures, minority and immigrant integration, different channels and flows of ‘voluntary’ migration, including labor, education, family reunification, marriage, and lifestyle to name a few.'

Forced Migration and Refugees: Migration governance, migration policy, evidence-based migration policy, break downs in migration governance, migration and social policy, effects of migration, social, political, economic and health impacts of resettling and/or hosting displaced populations to new countries, how this is working now, how politics and elections are impacting the current refugee crisis, etc.; politics of asylum processing; differences in refugee and asylum processes across countries; integrating refugee development and service delivery with national policies.

Cognizant that youth in Africa are affected by poverty, inadequate employment opportunities, exploitation, civil unrest and diseases. They are further left out of the decision making process, which makes them vulnerable and exposed to illegal migration and terrorism. The UNHCR's Mid-Year Trends report of June 2015 (based on information for mid-2015 or latest available information up to that date) reported an "unprecedented" 57, 959,702 individuals falling under its mandate (for reference, on January the 1st, 2007, 21,018,589 people - or less than half of the number in 2015 - fell under the mandate of the UNHCR.) As sorted by the UNHCR bureau in for June 2015  included : 2,754,893 in Western Africa of which 2,58,893 are refuges, 9, 298 have pending asylum cases, 700, 116 are stateless (persons not considered as nationals by any State) and 1,549,516 are IDP’s or people in IDP-like situations assisted by the UNHCR.

Major obstacles to refugee movements in the developing world include; inadequate employments, lack of resource centers, poverty and the risks associated with low education. A serious problem exists in the rural villages in Africa, where the youth are involved in illegal migration resulting to problems associated with unemployment, and lack of proper counseling on self-actualization, which has negatively painted minds of many youngsters, to voyage on sea, instead of making their dreams come through in their shores. These mishaps have been so misapprehended to a severe extent that are attributable to poor education on Harnessing the Demographic Dividend for a world free from the triggers of refugee movements and migration crisis.  It is apparent that Africans do not have an understanding of exactly what UNHCR and IOM contained as an international relief for refugees and migrants who mostly suffer problems of illegal migration and refugee movements. The most significant thing in the life of the young children is the society he/she lives and it does believe; research has shown that African children love compensation on material well-being, than buying them toys to please their minds and the vices of poverty and the like can be made forgotten if the opportunities are brought to their doorsteps, through effective education and awareness creation for African youths. According to the UNFPA’s Publications on Migration, in 2015, " 244 million people, or 3.3 per cent of the world's population, lived outside their country of origin. The majority of migrants cross borders in search of better economic and social opportunities. Others are forced to flee crises – the current mass movement of refugees and displaced persons has given rise to xenophobia and calls for tightening borders. Internal migration within countries is also on the rise.Migration is an important force in development and a high-priority issue for both developing and developed countries. In addition, almost half of all migrants are women, and most are of reproductive age. They have specific needs and human rights concerns.

UNFPA works to increase understanding of migration issues, advocate for better migration data, and promote the incorporation of migration into national development plans. UNFPA also advocates for addressing the special concerns of women and other vulnerable migrants, and works to meet the emergency reproductive health needs of refugees and internally displaced people."

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