The Eastern Route: Where Despair Crosses Borders and Hope Dies Quietly
Between 2019 and 2024, the borderlands between Yemen and Saudi Arabia became a stark landscape of peril for Ethiopian migrants navigating the Eastern Route. Along this path, individuals have faced violence, exploitation, and a lack of legal protection. While multiple testimonies and reports have surfaced, international accountability has proven elusive. A 2023 report by Human Rights Watch exposes the widespread use of explosive weapons, firearms, and other forms of abuse by border guards, allegations...
The Perfect Storm: Why Central and Western Africa Are Experiencing Record Displacement
“We are seeing that, overall, more and more people are on the move.” Luis de Freitas, leader of the regional data hub in Dakar for the IOM
Empowering Youth: Honoring Courage, Fighting for Change & Shaping a Better Future
In June, we celebrate Youth Month in South Africa, marked by an annual event on June 16. The national holiday commemorates the Soweto uprising, a youth-led protest that challenged the former apartheid government. The protest took place on June 16, 1976, after over a year of mounting frustration from Black communities across South Africa due to a new policy that required Afrikaans and English to be the only languages taught in Black schools. It entailed upwards of 20,000 participants and...
Reconstitution of South Africa’s Immigration Advisory Board: A Policy Shift
In a significant policy development, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, has announced the reconstitution of the Immigration Advisory Board (IAB), marking its first operational presence in more than a decade. This initiative seeks to strengthen immigration governance through structured policy recommendations and regulatory compliance (Department of Home Affairs, 2025).
The celebration of St. Scalabrini
The celebration of St. Scalabrini occurs annually on June 1st. Similar to the previous years, the event was hosted at the Scalabrini Center of Cape Town, uniting the various Scalabrini Network of organisations in the city, including the Scalabrini Center of Cape Town, Lawrence House, SIHMA, and the Missionaries of St. Charles Scalabrinian, and totaled over fifty participants. The celebration highlighted the values of St. Scalabrini, which included a dedication to refugees and people experiencing poverty, a...
SIHMA Press Review for May 2025
South Africa 29 May 2025 Republic of South Africa Cabinet approves National Labour Migration Policy 2025 White Paper The National Labour Migration Policy (NLMP) White Paper 2025 has been approved by the South African Cabinet to regulate the movement and employment of foreign nationals. The policy introduces employment quotas for documented...
