This document is an article focusing on the experiences of forced migrant youth aged 12 to 17 from Myanmar who have grown up as temporary residents along the northwest border of Thailand.
According to this article, the number of refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced person has reached an all-time high of 49.5 million people (2015 UNHCR). Over half of the people with refugee status are children under 18 years old. The purpose of this article is to bring attention to the concept that migrant children are beyond passive products second to their parents’ narratives. Instead children are complex actors that defy simplistic classifications.
This article discusses observations made during visits with migrant youth from Myanmar living in the Thailand-Myanmar border region and with migrant-led organizations providing non-formal education and social services to these youths.
While examining the historical context of events that have occurred in Myanmar since 1962, this article examines the conditions of migrant-youth and the care and shelter they receive. Per this article, many of Myanmar’s migrant youth who live on the Thailand border have spent much of their lives outside their home country. Understanding this context is vital for politicians and policy-makers to understand as they draft policies and strategies.
The article emphasizes the importance of research to develop theories of child development in line with new evidence of children’s capacities.
