High Commissioner's Dialogue on Protection Challenges, 2016
Children on the move
© UNHCR/Benjamin Loyseau
The ninth annual High Commissioner’s Dialogue on Protection Challenges took place on 8–9 December 2016, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.
This year's theme, Children on the Move, recognized the growing plight of young people who are fleeing violence and war, and struggling to reach safety.
With global forced displacement at a record high of 65.3 million, the number of children seeking refuge has also grown dramatically. Some 112,000 asylum claims for unaccompanied and separated children were lodged in 2015 – the highest number recorded since UNHCR began collecting such data in 2006.
Against this worrying backdrop, this year’s Dialogue brought together a total of 676 participants, including refugee youth delegates, child protection experts, States, intergovernmental organizations, civil society and other humanitarian and academic partners to consider the distinct protection risks children face while on the move. Together, this wide array of participants explored protection initiatives and responses and sought renewed commitment to principles governing protection of and assistance to children fleeing violence, conflict and persecution.
The High Commissioner’s Dialogue built on several events in 2016 relating to youth and others seeking protection, notably the UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants, the UNHCR-NGO Consultations and the Global Refugee Youth Consultations. A number of initiatives and recommendations resulting from the Dialogue will be carried forward during 2017 and beyond.
UNHCR Official Documents
- List of participants
- Concept paper
- Detailed schedule
- Logistical note
- Background paper
- Side event 1: Responding to sexual and gender-based violence for children on the move
- Side event 2: Engaging young people on the move in protection and solutions
- Situational roundtable 1 - Children on the move in Central America and Mexico
- Situational roundtable 2 - Children on the move in MENA
- Situational roundtable 3 -- Considering comprehensive approaches for Afghan children on the move
- Situational roundtable 4 - Unaccompanied and seperated children in Europe
- Summary report
- Summary of thematic session 1
- Summary of thematic session 2
- Summary of thematic session 3
Additional Materials
- The numbers
- Selected UNHCR policy documents on the protection of children
- UNHCR Child Protection Issue Briefs
- Selected UNHCR Executive Committee Conclusions
- Regional initiatives and reports
- Operationalizing children's rights (general)
- The right to liberty
- Right to a legal identity/Birth registration and the right to a nationality
- Securing solutions for children on the move
- Education
- Protecting Children from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
- Child participation
- Keynote Address by Mr. Moez Masoud
Further background information
- Compilation of FMR articles on Children on the move
- Children cannot wait – 7 priority actions to protect all refugee and migrant children, 29 November 2016
- Position Paper: Positive Effects of Innovative Early Childhood Development Programs on Refugee Youth Resilience
- Refugee Studies Centre - Ensuring quality education for young refugees from Syria (12-25 years): Forced migration policy note; Mapping exercise research report; 'Future citizens of the world'? The contested futures of independent young migrants in Europe
- NGOs Friends of the Dialogue – joint messages
- Closing statement – NGO Friends of the Dialogue
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