Refugees and migrants are encountering perilous and violent circumstances along their journeys across East and West Africa toward the Mediterranean Coast, as detailed in a report released by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The UNHCR appealed for increased protections from African border authorities to safeguard these vulnerable individuals.
Collaborating with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC), the UNHCR’s report highlighted the extreme forms of violence and exploitation that refugees endure over their approximately three-year treks. These risks encompass sexual and gender-based violence, physical violence, kidnapping for ransom, organ removal, arbitrary detention, bribery, robbery, trafficking, and refoulement.
The report suggests these dangerous journeys are driven by deteriorating situations in several African nations, such as conflicts in the Sahel and Sudan, human rights abuses, climate change, and prolonged emergencies in East and the Horn of Africa. Bram Frouws, director of the MMC, pointed out the alarming rise in deaths along migration routes, noting the significant increase in fatalities on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands just this year. He stressed that even though precise numbers are unavailable, it is estimated that land-route deaths might surpass those occurring at sea (as reported by UN News).
The report also criticizes the current responses from states as insufficient, sometimes hindered by corruption or lack of judicial cooperation. It highlights the use of sanctions, as evidenced in Libya and Sudan, against individuals involved in trafficking and abusing refugees. The report suggests that these punitive measures could serve as a template for other regions.
As per international human rights law, states have an obligation to protect all individuals within their jurisdiction, including migrants, from violence and abuse (a detailed explanation can be found in the OHCHR guidelines). Furthermore, treaties such as the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibit torture and inhumane treatment. The protection from refoulement is also enshrined in Article 33(1) of the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.
Ultimately, the report concludes that the international community needs to implement “concrete, routes-based protection responses” to alleviate the hardships of migrants and combat the root causes of their displacement. The call to action advocates for peacebuilding, respect for human rights, governance reforms, addressing climate change, and ensuring safe pathways for migrants and refugees.
For more on this ongoing issue, please visit the original report by JURIST – News.