Remembering the Sharpeville Massacre: Protecting the Rights of Child Migrants in South Africa
As we commemorate Human Rights Day in South Africa, we remember the tragic events of the Sharpeville massacre on March 21, 1960. On that day, police opened fire on a crowd of protesters, killing 249 people, including 29 children (Lodge, 2011). Today, we honor the memories of those child victims by reflecting on the progress of children's rights in South Africa, particularly for child migrants.
Good news for children of undocumented foreign parents and guardians for their admission into South African schools
CHILDREN of undocumented foreign nationals will not be required to produce any form of identification before registering for admission at any school in South Africa. For decades, undocumented children have been largely excluded from the education system, left on the margins by restrictive policies and legislative gaps. Recent developments signal a monumental shift towards a more inclusive approach, harmonizing South Africa’s laws with international standards and reinforcing undocumented immigrant children's right to basic education.
Operation Vala Umgodi shows the ties between irregular migration and irregular mining, but should migrants be criminalized?
Operation Vala Umgodi exposes the connections between irregular migration and the coercion of migrants in South African mines. Launched earlier this year, it has led to the arrest of hundreds for the illegal extraction of minerals. Though initially aimed at curbing illegal mining, the operation has revealed deep ties between the extractive sector — especially the informal one — and the trafficking of migrants into South Africa. While effective in combating illegal mining, the treatment of...
Insights and recommendations from the "The need to belong: pathways towards durable solutions" Conference
Between Wednesday, September 25, and Friday, September 27, we held the conference “The need to belong: pathways towards durable solutions”, focusing on the integration and documentation processes for young migrants and Children on the Move. The event highlighted the challenges related to social and school integration, as well as the acquisition of South African citizenship for unaccompanied minors.
Presentation of the "Pathways of Wellbeing and (un)Belonging" report
SIHMA is proud to annunce the finalization of the "Pathways of Wellbeing and (un) Belonging - Understanding the Experience of Migrant Youth in Alternative Care and Recently Out of Care in Cape Town" report, written by Dr. Glynis Clacherty, Dr. Rachel Chinyakata, and Dr. Cletus Muluh Momasoh, and edited by Fr. Filippo Ferraro. The report's results will be launched on Thursday, September 26th, during the "The Need to belong: Pathways Towards Durable Solutions" conference in Cape Town. The conference will focus...
Training Course for Pastoral Agents of Migration, Kampala, Uganda
The Scalabrini Institute for Human Mobility in Africa (SIHMA) in collaboration with Scalabrini International Migration Institute (SIMI) and the Missionaries of St Charles Scalabrini, Uganda conducted a training workshop for pastoral agents of migrants and refugees in Kampala, Uganda. The training workshop was conducted at the ARU Centre from the 17th to the 20th of July 2024. The purpose of the training workshop was to equip pastoral agents of migration with an understanding of human mobility in Africa, skills...
