In this article, the author, Gilles Virgili, calls for the inclusion of unaccompanied migrant children in the UN Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted by governments across the world in September. Children migrating without parental supervision are among the most vulnerable populations, says the author, and should be included in the plans to eliminate all forms of violence. The article discusses the situation of unaccompanied migrant children in Southern Africa, particularly in South Africa, and notes that these children are especially vulnerable to violence. “Regulating migration and enforcing the law in a dignified manner is entirely legitimate but this shouldn’t be done to the detriment of those who first and foremost need protection,” says the author. “There is an urgent need to listen to their voices and together find solutions that we would consider appropriate for ‘our’ own children.”
