Ambassador Naela Gabr, Chairperson of the National Committee on Combating and Preventing Illegal Migration (NCCPIM) announced the issuing of the executive summary for the first field study on "Egyptian Unaccompanied Migrant Children" carried out by the National Center for Social and Criminological Studies. The past few years have unfortunately witnessed a significant increase of UMC from Egypt. It has become a threatening phenomenon for children's security which puts them under the danger of exploitation.
The study has been accomplished within the framework of the cooperation between the NCCPIM and the National Council for Human Rights. It aims at providing information and spotting the Egyptian Governorates with the highest flow of Illegal Migration of children, while undertaking a social analysis of the push factors that drive families to put their children under this risk given the substantial harm factor incurred during the trip or upon arrival, if they ever make it to the other side. The study looks into the solutions and future prospects in that regard.
The study targeted children aged 9-18 who had experienced illegal migration. The sample had been selected according to the findings of the field study on “illegal migration of youth” which identified governorates with highest flow of UMC caused by the predominance of an illegal migration culture and the encouragement and the help offered by relatives and friends with similar experiences.
The result of the demographic, social and economic characteristics of UMC showed that males aged 16-17 represent the highest percentage of UMC whereas the tranche aged 9-15 represents the lowest percentage. The study identified as well a high percentage of school dropout and weak educational level for the parents that are typically employed in agriculture or handicrafts.
Although the study sample dealt with families with normal conditions, one fifth of the sampled children said they suffered from their family mistreatment which pushed them to try to escape through migration. The study showed that most of the children came from low middle class families. The sample highlighted that one third of the children had worked before illegally migrating, some had worked since age six.
The solutions proposed through the study covered working on the overall socio-economic development of the target areas, improvement in standards of living, provision of job opportunities as well as legal migration channels. A number of children specifically mentioned the need for the respect of their human rights as individual and as children.
Ambassador Gabr, stated that the Egyptian foreign ministry gives a high priority to this file and works through its embassies and consulates abroad, especially in Rome and Milan. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry watches closely over the Egyptian children cases provided through the Italian government. It is also very keen to cooperate with security entities and "the Council on Childhood and Motherhood" to look into possible scenarios for the voluntary return of Egyptian UMC. Ambassador Gabr also mentioned that the minister of state for Emigration and Expatriate Affairs visited recently the Italian shelters centers where the Egyptian UMC reside.
Ambassador Gabr stressed that the NCCPIM will be working relentlessly on finding tried as well as innovative solutions to the problems of UMC. The National Committee has put this topic on top of its priorities within the framework its coming strategy to combat illegal migration (2016–2018), and is planning on an enhanced level of coordination with all national entities, to provide educational and development programs that will answer UMC's as well as their family's needs . NCCPIM will also be capitalizing on and expanding its awareness raising campaigns in the coming period