Evaluation of Shelter Services for Internal Unaccompanied Minors in African’s Post Conflict Countries: “The Case of Burundi”

Abstract

This study describes the main factors that explain the increasing migration of internal unaccompanied minors in Burundi, especially in Bujumbura; It also explores the problems and risks that these internal unaccompanied minors face during their migration journey to Bujumbura. In addition, this study explores the formal social assistance intervention and its adequacy provided to these children by FVS-AMADE Burundi Foster center who served as study population area in this study.A qualitative research approach was used that included the utilization of two different but narrowly linked semi-structured interview guide forms with a total of sixteen informants, thirteen internal unaccompanied minors and tree social workers. The analysis of the opinions of these informants was made with MAXQDA 2018 software by the use of thematic codes. In addition, the SWOT analysis tool was used for the third research questions of this study. The results of this study identified among other many factors, the extreme rural poverty; domestic violence against children within their families by stepfamilies and legal guardians as principal push factors that force these children to migrate; while the search of jobs opportunities, the search of safe environment; access to social infrastructures such as (education and health care) as well as family reunification were also identified as principal pull factors that attract these children to migrate to Bujumbura city. This study also identified; child trafficking, child exploitation; incarceration; ethnic denigration, criminal organization's attacks; etc, as the main risks that these children encounter on their migration journey to Bujumbura and after arriving in Bujumbura. Thus, this study suggests that a child protection intervention mechanism which aims to respond to the particular situation of the needs of these internal unaccompanied minors should be implemented. The child protection system and migration policies must prevent the risked migrations that expose children to violence and must be placed at all stages of the migration journey of these children; starting from their home cities, up to their destination place. This study also presents a series of specific policies to address the necessities of internal unaccompanied minors in Burundi.