International Migrants Day: Influx of Unaccompanied Minors along the US Southern Border

How can the USA do better? 

The journey to the USA can already be incredibly traumatic for young children, who may have been exposed to violence and exploitation along the way. It is of the utmost importance that once they are put into U.S. custody, that further harm or trauma is prevented and that they receive care that they deserve. There are several parts of the U.S. immigration system that must be torn down and rebuilt. 

The CBP first and foremost must be held accountable for their actions. Over the years there have been numerous reports of physical violence, corruption, and verbal abuse at the hands of border patrol agents towards migrants across all ages. There must be stronger vetting of agents and any reports of abuse must be dealt with immediately, removing the agent from the field while an investigation is carried out. 

The U.S. government’s criminalization of entering or reentering the country without authorization has also led to a multitude of issues, including mass incarceration. The U.S. government jails more than 50,000 immigrants each day at a more than $3 billion annual cost to taxpayers. Mass detention centers, like the ones used for UAC, are incredibly expensive and riddled with corruption, abuse and neglect. Many investigations have repeatedly found evidence that detention centers are riddled with human rights abuses and should be phased out completely.

Experts argue that a community-based approach would be a much more progressive and cost-effective solution. Rather than spending billions on detention centers, the federal government could subsidize NGOs and community-led organizations to run safe, secure migrant programs. There already exists a broad array of community support services that can ensure that migrants receive the help they need on a variety of issues: legal, housing, transportation, social and medical services. In fact, Doctors of the World runs a border health clinic in collaboration with a local university and NGOs to provide essential health care to migrants.

At Doctors of the World, we have long fought for the rights of migrants, in the USA and abroad. Unaccompanied minors, as well as migrants of all ages, deserve better care than what they currently receive from the U.S. government. The current migration system is one that is fueled by fear and profit at the expense of migrants’ safety and wellbeing. Serious policy changes must be made to ensure that migrants rights are respected and that they receive a fair process in their court trial. Special care must be given to UACs, who are even more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, and long-term trauma. It’s time that the USA drops its rhetoric against migrants, and recognizes them as human beings. 
 
Sources
Children on the Run – Full Report 
U.S. Detention of Child Migrants | Council on Foreign Relations
Nearly 130,000 unaccompanied migrant children entered the U.S. shelter system in 2022, a record – CBS News
This is what happens to child migrants found alone at the border, from the moment they cross into the US until age 18
U.S. shelters received a record 122,000 unaccompanied migrant children in 2021 – CBS News
 
Photography: 
Olivier Papegnies 
MdM Spain 

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Consequences of Winter in Ukraine

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS)
 

Mental health is one of DotW’s areas of expertise. In Ukraine, we are especially trained to provide mental health services to the adult population affected by the military conflict. Much of our MHPSS is conducted through the mobile units, where psychologists provide group and individual consultations, as well as leading awareness-raising sessions. 

DotW psychologists also provide group and individual consultations at NGO centers, like the NGO Way Home, in Odessa Oblast. There the MHPSS team has provided 3 group sessions and 25 individual consultations. In Chernivtsi, group supervisions were provided to the counselors of the Problem Management Plus program, while in Dnipro trainings were conducted for the same program, so that after practice and with the support of DotW MHPSS specialists, 10 trainees will become counselors of the program.

For individuals that are unable to participate in in-person consultations, DotW has set up online consultations with psychologists. Overall, there have been 611 online consultations provided in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts. At the end of April DotW launched a helpline to address the MHPSS needs of people who lack access to those services, which has already received 394 calls. Overall the demands for MHPSS are high, as many civilians endure traumatic experiences while struggling to stay secure in the midst of an increasingly violent conflict. Since the start of the war, on February 24, DotW  has provided MHPSS services to 12,039 people. 
 

Doctors of the World reiterates that this conflict must end and condemns the targeted and continued attacks on civilian infrastructure. 
 
Photography 
Pietro Chekal

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CHOLERA OUTBREAK AFFECTS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN SYRIA

 
The war in Syria has been ongoing for nearly 12 years, with millions of civilians trapped in the conflict and millions more fleeing to neighboring countries and Europe. Besides the hundreds of thousands that have died in the conflict, the continuous air raids and bombings have shattered much of the countries infrastructure, leaving them without access to clean water, healthcare, and food. In fact, the conflict has seriously damaged the water and channel networks, resulting in a decreased supply by 40% while only 52% of the hospitals are operational under harsh conditions.

Without clean water and secure healthcare, a cholera outbreak has begun to spread throughout Syria. The situation is dire, requiring urgent and sustainable action to further prevent the destruction of essential infrastructure and the further deterioration of the humanitarian and health situation for the most vulnerable people.

The outbreak has mainly spread in the northern part of the country, beginning in September 2022. The first cholera case was confirmed in Jarablus district of the Aleppo Governorate on September 19, while a total of 10,750 suspected cholera cases have been reported as of November 16 from North West Syria with about 33% of suspected cases from IDP camps. 10 people have lost their lives due to cholera, and 311 were tested positive so far.
The outbreak occurred due to a contaminated water well in the region. It is a keen reminder as to why it is so important to continue to support and sustain critical infrastructure, as well as establish humanitarian corridors so that essential services may be safely delivered. 
“People in Syria are paying the price of almost collapsed healthcare infrastructure in addition to struggling with serious consequences of the bloody war and economic downturn. Water and sewage systems in the region are also on the verge of collapse – which leads to poor conditions for hygiene and sanitation,” Mohamad Şahin, Doctors of the World (DotW) Turkey’s Syria Programme Coordinator, reported from the field.
DotW Turkey has mobilized its team to address the growing cholera outbreak. So far it has directly reached 2,458 people and indirectly 12,290 people in need, focusing on preventative measures. Şahin adds, “We join the fight against the cholera outbreak in North West Syria by delivering awareness-raising sessions about cholera prevention through community health workers. We also increased the oral rehydration solution stocks for quick intervention in cholera cases since the disease requires immediate treatment and it can cause death within hours.”
“The number of people living in DotW Turkey’s catchment locations for ongoing facilities in Afrin, including Afrin Central, Jandairis, and Jalama subdistricts, is 176,198,” he informed.
The Cholera Task Force, which was formed to fight the outbreak in Syria under the leadership of World Health Organization (WHO), states that there is a need for further support to set up Oral Rehydration Points across highest affected subdistricts to complement community and in-patient cholera treatment activities along with the establishment of cholera treatment centers and units across highest affected subdistricts.
However, meeting these needs remains a challenge, hindered by the conflict and a lack of financial support. The 2022-2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for Syria has only 27% of the necessary resources. Health financing represents barely 16.7% of the aid provided, with a gap of 484 million dollars, while nutrition financing reaches 10.7% with a gap of 11 million.

It is of utmost importance that the humanitarian organizations and the global community collaborate to fundraise and implement an immediate humanitarian response for Syria. We need to ensure that humanitarian corridors are established, that critical infrastructure is restored and that this cholera outbreak is quickly contained. 

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Universal Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women

More and more minors are becoming victims of violence
 

“Early and forced marriages, unwanted pregnancies linked to sexual abuse, unsafe abortion practices of pregnancy (IVG): in the DRC, and particularly in South Kivu, gender-based violence is everywhere. And it is not decreasing, or not very noticeably. We know that from an OCHA report in 2020, GBV increased by 86% that year compared to 2019, this violence concerns more and more minors and young girls under 18 years of age are becoming pregnant. In the face of this violence, stigmatization and lack of care are still common for many victims,” explains Eric Wynants, deputy coordinator of DotW in DRC, who has coordinated the project to combat violence in Panzi.

In South Kivu, a region marked by ongoing conflict and an alarming humanitarian situation, rape has long been used as a weapon of war by the warring parties. Today, rape has spread in Congolese society, particularly through demobilized former child soldiers, militiamen, ex-rebels and various armed groups. The victims seem to be increasingly young, sometimes under the age of ten. This violence is in addition to other violence committed in a domestic or criminal context. In order to help the victims of this violence, DotW intervenes in the territory of Uvira and in the city of Bukavu. Our organization carries out community prevention activities, offers health care and provides psychosocial support, promotes the reintegration of victims into the workforce and refers them for legal advice. Given the tense security situation and the lack of humanitarian organizations present in certain areas, the intervention of DotW is essential.
 

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Universal Day of the Elimination of Violence Against Women

More and more minors are becoming victims of violence
 

“Early and forced marriages, unwanted pregnancies linked to sexual abuse, unsafe abortion practices of pregnancy (IVG): in the DRC, and particularly in South Kivu, gender-based violence is everywhere. And it is not decreasing, or not very noticeably. We know that from an OCHA report in 2020, GBV increased by 86% that year compared to 2019, this violence concerns more and more minors and young girls under 18 years of age are becoming pregnant. In the face of this violence, stigmatization and lack of care are still common for many victims,” explains Eric Wynants, deputy coordinator of DotW in DRC, who has coordinated the project to combat violence in Panzi.

In South Kivu, a region marked by ongoing conflict and an alarming humanitarian situation, rape has long been used as a weapon of war by the warring parties. Today, rape has spread in Congolese society, particularly through demobilized former child soldiers, militiamen, ex-rebels and various armed groups. The victims seem to be increasingly young, sometimes under the age of ten. This violence is in addition to other violence committed in a domestic or criminal context. In order to help the victims of this violence, DotW intervenes in the territory of Uvira and in the city of Bukavu. Our organization carries out community prevention activities, offers health care and provides psychosocial support, promotes the reintegration of victims into the workforce and refers them for legal advice. Given the tense security situation and the lack of humanitarian organizations present in certain areas, the intervention of DotW is essential.
 

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Testimonial of two survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

“I tell my daughters: refuse the gift of an unknown man, who will inevitably expect something in return.”

Myriam (not her real name), widow, mother of three children, from Makobola, says: “It was July 2021. I was working in the fields. I was sexually assaulted by three men when I was alone. I went home drained, down and distressed. I didn’t speak anymore, neither to my children, nor to the village chief. I didn’t leave the house for days which alerted Bobylia, the focal point of the protective community. I confided in him.

Myriam then went to the Makobola health center, supported by DotW.
“When I arrived, I couldn’t sleep, I felt guilty, I was discouraged. Thanks to the psychological support I received from DotW psychosocial assistant, I was finally able to talk to my children.”

Today, having become a member of the ‘protective community’, a DotW project, Myriam is raising awareness about sexual violence among other Makobola residents.
“I advise victims of violence to go to medical facilities. I also teach my daughters to be careful, to avoid insecure places, and that they should not accept gifts from foreign men, who will inevitably expect something in return.”
 
Photography

© Caroline Thirion
 
 

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Testimonial of two survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo

“I tell my daughters: refuse the gift of an unknown man, who will inevitably expect something in return.”

Myriam (not her real name), widow, mother of three children, from Makobola, says: “It was July 2021. I was working in the fields. I was sexually assaulted by three men when I was alone. I went home drained, down and distressed. I didn’t speak anymore, neither to my children, nor to the village chief. I didn’t leave the house for days which alerted Bobylia, the focal point of the protective community. I confided in him.

Myriam then went to the Makobola health center, supported by DotW.
“When I arrived, I couldn’t sleep, I felt guilty, I was discouraged. Thanks to the psychological support I received from DotW psychosocial assistant, I was finally able to talk to my children.”

Today, having become a member of the ‘protective community’, a DotW project, Myriam is raising awareness about sexual violence among other Makobola residents.
“I advise victims of violence to go to medical facilities. I also teach my daughters to be careful, to avoid insecure places, and that they should not accept gifts from foreign men, who will inevitably expect something in return.”
 
Photography

© Caroline Thirion
 
 

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Our COVID-19 Response in Haiti, South Sudan and Ukraine

Infection, Prevention and Control   
 

The first objective in our COVID-19 programs was to ensure that the healthcare facilities were prepared for a COVID-19 outbreak in their region. The DotW team carried out training sessions to prepare healthcare staff and community health workers on COVID-19. These sessions focused on IPC strategies (quarantine, isolation, etc) as well as providing information on the COVID-19 virus including its etiology, transmission, symptoms, risk, diagnosis and treatment. Staff were also trained on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), particularly within the context of COVID-19. 

Besides training healthcare staff on COVID-19, Doctors of the World donated Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) supplies like PPE as well as medicine and medical equipment to the various healthcare facilities it supported in Haiti, Ukraine and South Sudan.  

Another key aspect of our COVID-19 response was raising community awareness by disseminating information about the virus to the public so that individuals were better equipped to recognize symptoms, prevent infection and seek out treatment. DotW prepared messages and presentations that were shared on the TV, radio, and across various social media platforms like Facebook. DotW had additionally partnered with local community leaders and organizations that could further amplify the message. 

In Ukraine, Doctors of the World organized phone consultations where individuals could call and receive the necessary information about COVID-19, as well as launched a video competition among children on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

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Our COVID-19 Response in Haiti, South Sudan and Ukraine

Infection, Prevention and Control   
 

The first objective in our COVID-19 programs was to ensure that the healthcare facilities were prepared for a COVID-19 outbreak in their region. The DotW team carried out training sessions to prepare healthcare staff and community health workers on COVID-19. These sessions focused on IPC strategies (quarantine, isolation, etc) as well as providing information on the COVID-19 virus including its etiology, transmission, symptoms, risk, diagnosis and treatment. Staff were also trained on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), particularly within the context of COVID-19. 

Besides training healthcare staff on COVID-19, Doctors of the World donated Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) supplies like PPE as well as medicine and medical equipment to the various healthcare facilities it supported in Haiti, Ukraine and South Sudan.  

Another key aspect of our COVID-19 response was raising community awareness by disseminating information about the virus to the public so that individuals were better equipped to recognize symptoms, prevent infection and seek out treatment. DotW prepared messages and presentations that were shared on the TV, radio, and across various social media platforms like Facebook. DotW had additionally partnered with local community leaders and organizations that could further amplify the message. 

In Ukraine, Doctors of the World organized phone consultations where individuals could call and receive the necessary information about COVID-19, as well as launched a video competition among children on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

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Doctors of the World response to humanitarian crisis in Eastern DRC

The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a multitude of compounding crises with serious consequences for the civilian population.
 
Political instability, chronic conflict, and natural hazards, like volcanic activity and flooding, have left a large part of the population in need of humanitarian assistance. 

Doctors of the World (DotW) has drawn its attention to one region where populations are left vulnerable to a variation of health and security disasters. In the Fizi Highlands, civilians have found themselves trapped between two conflicting territories: the Minembwe and Itombwe. The region has endured violence and armed conflict for over a decade, however in the spring of 2020, there was an escalation in violence between the Mai-Mai and the Banyamulenge communities. Civilians have been further targeted as human rights organizations report cases of murder, rape, burning of villages, and looting of livestock. In response, the Armed Forces of the DRC have mobilized in the areas of violence, in order to put an end to the fights between armed groups.

The consequences of the conflict have also resulted in forced displacement, lack of access to essential services like healthcare and sanitation, as well as impacted the population’s food security. The situation remains tense as this conflict has caused division of the population by ethnicity, and individuals are forced to continuously move between territories to avoid further violence. According to OCHA, about 39,700 persons (approx. 7,940 households) were displaced during the violence in this region. Many internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been separated from their homes since 2019 and returns remain very low. 

In response to these conflicts, Doctor of the World ran a project, funded by USAID, that used multi-sectoral lifesaving interventions targeting the most vulnerable conflict-affected individuals in Itombwe and Minembwe territories in. The sectors of focus for this project included health, nutrition, water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), and protection.

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