IOM Urges Greater Awareness in High-Migration Areas to Curb Irregular Child Movement

Online Reporter | Chronicle
January 31, 2026

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Zimbabwe has called on the governments of Zimbabwe and South Africa, working alongside non-governmental organisations (NGOs), to intensify public awareness campaigns in high-migration areas in order to curb irregular migration, particularly involving children.

The appeal comes amid a concerning rise in cases of child smuggling along the Zimbabwe–South Africa migration corridor, one of the busiest routes in Southern Africa. Migration along the corridor is largely driven by economic hardship, family separation, and the pursuit of education and employment opportunities.

Authorities say the movement of children through irregular channels becomes more pronounced during public and school holidays, when cross-border traffic increases and enforcement capacity is stretched. Children are frequently transported unaccompanied through formal ports of entry or illegal crossing points, often using bus crews or light motor vehicle transporters commonly known as omalayitsha.

In many cases, when smugglers detect increased scrutiny from border officials, children are abandoned in bushy areas, exposing them to serious risks including exploitation, abuse and death.

Under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and its Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants, migrant smuggling is defined as the deliberate facilitation of the irregular movement of persons across international borders for financial or material gain. While smuggling may occur with the consent of those being moved, children remain particularly vulnerable due to their age and limited ability to protect themselves.

IOM Zimbabwe spokesperson Fadzai Nyamande-Pangeti said preventing parents from resorting to irregular migration requires sustained community awareness on both the dangers and legal consequences involved.

“There is a need to improve access to legal documentation and simplify cross-border travel procedures for families, as this can significantly reduce the incentive for irregular travel,” she said.

Nyamande-Pangeti added that addressing the root causes that push families to take such risks — including poverty, limited educational opportunities and inadequate access to social services — is critical. She said targeted social and economic development programmes could help discourage perilous migration journeys.

She also stressed the need to hold smugglers accountable through intelligence-led investigations, financial tracking and asset seizures, enhanced cross-border law enforcement cooperation, and strengthened anti-corruption measures at border posts.

“Criminalising parents often backfires, as it pushes migration further underground,” she said.

Nyamande-Pangeti warned that children who undergo irregular migration between Zimbabwe and South Africa often suffer severe psychological trauma.

“The journey can expose them to distressing experiences such as family separation, violence, abuse and prolonged uncertainty, which may result in anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder,” she said.

She added that the lack of stability, access to education and healthcare in destination areas often deepens feelings of insecurity and social isolation, with long-term effects on children’s emotional development and ability to adapt.

“When smugglers’ operations are disrupted, children are frequently abandoned without care, leaving them exposed to further exploitation and danger. During transit, minors are also at high risk of sexual exploitation,” she said.

Nyamande-Pangeti stressed that unsafe and irregular migration poses a serious child-protection threat, particularly for unaccompanied minors.

“Children are among the most vulnerable within migrant populations. They face heightened risks to their survival, health and dignity, and are more likely to experience violence, exploitation or abuse,” she said.