The Impact of International Sanctions on Zimbabwe’s Migratory Regime
The movement of Zimbabweans beyond their country’s borders has captured international attention, becoming a poignant reminder of the broader socio-economic challenges the country faces. A closer look reveals that this phenomenon is not a matter of personal ambition for migrants, but rather a survival strategy catalyzed by external and internal pressures, most notably the economic sanctions imposed by the international community, the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union on Zimbabwe. The...
SIHMA Press Review for November 2024
PRESS REVIEW – SOUTH AFRICA 01 - South Africa shuts border crossing with Mozambique over poll unrest Wycliffe Muia, BBC News, 11/06/2024 South Africa has closed the Lebombo border crossing with Mozambique amid violent protests following Mozambique's disputed presidential election. The unrest has resulted in torched vehicles and damaged buildings near the border. South African authorities fired rubber bullets and...
SIHMA at the "Conflict and Human Displacement" Conference of the University of Oslo
On Monday, October 28th, Fr. Filippo Ferraro, our director, presented a keynote address at the “Conflict and Human Displacement” conference organized by the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oslo. The event was part of the "Migration, Ethics, and Theology" webinar series, a collaboration between the Scalabrini International Migration Institute (SIMI) in Rome and scholars involved in the Nordhost project on migration and hospitality within a Nordic context. This webinar series builds on...
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...
Migrants in South Africa are celebrating Heritage Day, but full integration is still far away
Heritage Day is the national holiday that acknowledges and values cultural differences in South Africa. The choice of date for the celebration is not coincidental: September 24th is recognized as the date of death of King Shaka Zulu, the unifier of the Zulu nation, in 1828. The decision to establish Heritage Day as a national holiday dates back to 1996, when the...
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...
