from DANAI MWARUMBWA in Harare, Zimbabwe
HARARE – THE prevalence of unaccompanied minors crossing within Southern African borders is an alarming trend highlighting economic challenges in the region.
Unaccompanied children
This, in addition to the surge in pregnant women and the elderly that are crossing the borders in need of care in neighbouring countries point to a disintegration of healthcare and social services in some countries.
Statistics provided by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) from points of entry from Tanzania, down to South Africa, make for some grim reading.
In the month of July alone, 891 pregnant women, 371 unaccompanied minors and 299 elderly in need of care crossed borders from one country to another in some Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
They are among 70 633 people on the move during the month. Of these, 56 percent were men, 38 percent women, 6 percent children (3 percent boys and 3 percent girls).
Most of the movement in the region was between South Africa and Zimbabwe, at Beitbridge.
There, IOM observed a total of 37 110 cross-border movements. Among them were some 482 women who were visibly pregnant. Meanwhile, 261 children were unaccompanied.
Some officials have been quoted as saying half the number of children born in the Limpopo province are by Zimbabwean mothers.
This torched a xenophobic storm last year when Limpopo Member of the Executive Council (MEC), Phophi Ramathuba, lashed out at a Zimbabwean patient and accused foreign nationals of draining the country’s resources. Zimbabwe’s health sector has not been spared the economic crisis.
The second highest movements (9 457) were between Malawi (Mwanza) and Mozambique (Zobue). There were 61 women who were visibly pregnant.
At the other post between the two counties in Mangochi, IOM observed 8 382 cross-border movements. There were 55 women visibly pregnant. The number of unaccompanied children has decreased from 74 the previous month to 25 in July.
At Chirundu, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe, of the 5 108 cross-border movements, there were 171 women visibly pregnant and 42 unaccompanied children.
“However, this information is based on direct observation and self-reporting, and therefore is likely under-reported,” said an official.
Boys and girls (males and females below 18) made up 6 percent of individuals observed. Of the 296 children observed, were unaccompanied boys and 4 were unaccompanied girls.
Other borders recorded movements slightly over 1 000.
This includes Plum tree, between Botswana and Mozambique where 24 visibly pregnant women crossed.
Another 18 pregnant women and five unaccompanied children crossed between Mozambique and Zimbabwe in Mutare.
Some 13 visibly pregnant females and four unaccompanied children crossed between Malawi and Tanzania.
Since the information is from official points of entry, indications are that all above-mentioned figures and crises are higher, considering the prevalence of illegal points of entry in the region, also called the Southern Corridor.
The corridor is lucrative for human smugglers and corrupt border officials.
IOM previously reported that at least 37 migrants were killed or disappeared through drowning or attacks by animals.
Over 750 have reportedly perished since 2014.
– CAJ News
