The health challenges facing children on the move

Abstract

An unprecedented number of young people are crossing borders; many more are ‘internally displaced’. This chapter explores the vulnerability and resilience of refugee children and adolescents. It examines standards and policies designed to protect and enable these young people to survive and thrive. Given the growth in its importance, the matter of minors being ‘returned’ to countries of origin is also examined. This is followed by an analysis of some real-life situations in which these standards and policies are applicable. What is ultimately clear is that for a range of reasons—including the political and the practical—there are growing challenges to the safety of children and youth who are ‘on the move’.