Improving the Protection Environment for Unaccompanied Migrant Children in Egypt

This project will support the development of procedures for the identification of and coordination of protection services for unaccompanied migrant children (UMC) in Egypt in line with international standards for child protection. The project thereby addresses existing gaps in child protection amid an increasing trend of irregular child migration to, through and from Egypt. Egypt itself holds the highest percentage of UMC among adult irregular migrants trying to reach Europe, and is also a destination and transit country for irregular UMC. In response to this, the Egyptian Government has tasked NCCPIM to form a UMC Working Group with relevant national stakeholders to strengthen the protection of UMC in Egypt. The government requested IOM support for this purpose.

Initially, this project will support an in-depth assessment of the institutional frameworks, procedures and capacities for child protection in Egypt. Based on the respective findings, IOM will organize a roundtable with relevant stakeholders to discuss the importance developing procedures for the identification and protection of UMC, as well as to identify focal points, proposed roles and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders. Subsequently, a series of workshops will be facilitated for the drafting of Terms of Reference (ToR) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). In parallel, this project will ensure that relevant national stakeholders represented in the UMC Working Group have the skills and knowledge to assume their responsibilities in service provision and provide protection services to UMC in line with international standards and best practices. For this purpose, IOM will organize trainings on topics including the national and international legal framework pertaining to UMC, case management and child-friendly service provision as well as on monitoring and evaluation.