Forced Displacement in Niger
In recent years, Niger has seen a sharp rise in forced migration and internal displacement. The Atlas of African Migration an online resource developed by SIHMA, highlights how continuous violence, environmental stress, and regional instability influence mobility patterns throughout the continent. In the case of Niger, displacement trends have been hastened by climate-related disasters as well as worsening political and security conditions in nearby nations. Communities around the nation have changed as a...
Report on the SACBC Meeting on Migration, Refugees, and Human Trafficking
The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) recently convened a multi-day meeting addressing migration, pastoral care, and the Church’s response to human trafficking. The gathering brought together clergy, religious, lay leaders, and representatives from civil society organizations, with discussions structured around pastoral, theological, and legal dimensions of migration in Southern Africa. Opening Reflections Sr. Neide Lamperti (SACBC) welcomed participants and noted that materials were available...
Human Trafficking in Africa: Patterns, Drivers, and Responses
This year’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons draws attention to the persistence of sex trafficking across Africa, where organized crime, systemic inequality, and weak institutional capacity converge to create conditions of exploitation. Evidence indicates that women and girls are disproportionately affected, with risks amplified by poverty, entrenched gender norms, limited legal protections, and climate-induced displacement. Trafficking networks exploit porous borders and increasingly operate through digital platforms, while state responses often remain under-resourced and fragmented. ...
South Africa Ramps Up Border Security: New Measures to Reduce Irregular Immigration
The South African government has decided to improve border security by enhancing and integrating technological systems and adding more law enforcement officers to combat irregular migration and human trafficking and the government has introduced stricter enforcement policies, improved surveillance, and improved intelligence-sharing mechanisms. It is noted that about 672 Border Law Enforcement Officers have been added to high-risk entry points such as land crossings, maritime borders, and international airports
SIHMA Press Review for December 2024 and January 2025
PRESS REVIEW - SOUTH AFRICA 01 - Undocumented foreign learners to be admitted in schools IOL, 01/25/2025 The Department of Basic Education (DBE) in South Africa...
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...