Analysing the Lived Experiences of Undocumented and Unaccompanied Child Migrants from Zimbabwe to South Africa

Abstract

Zimbabwe’s socio-economic crisis post-2000 led to the emergence of new forms of livelihoods. Long- and short-term migration emerged as a survival strategy for over a million Zimbabweans who moved legally and illegally to countries such as South Africa, England, Botswana, Namibia, Canada and Australia. While migration in Zimbabwe has mainly been an adult pursuit, post-2000, there has been an increasing number of unaccompanied child migrants. Zimbabwean unaccompanied child migrants in South Africa provide important insights into how the socio-economic rights of children are central to understanding child migration. This article focuses on the lived experiences of undocumented and unaccompanied child migrants from Zimbabwe living in South Africa. It utilises a desk research approach to analyse how the socio-economic rights of child migrants are experienced in Zimbabwe and South Africa. Both states have failed to meet their national and international obligations to protect child migrants. The article highlights various forms of abuse undocumented child migrants from Zimbabwe experience in South Africa. The article concludes that both local and international law in South Africa fails to provide a balance between the competing interests of child protection and child autonomy.