scholarly journals COVID- 19 and its Effects on Refugee, Asylum Seeker and Migrant Children Aged 12-17 Years at Tongogara Refugee Camp in Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-205
Author(s):  
Memory Rumbidzai V. Mandikiana ◽  
Yogesh Awasthi ◽  
Isaac Ignatius Dambudzo

Refugee, asylum seekers, and migrant (displaced) children are at protracted vulnerability levels, and COVID-19 has exacerbated the situation. Zimbabwe accepts refugees but enforces an encampment policy, and displaced populations are encamped at Tongogara Refugee Camp (TRC).  The research gap is that there is very little literature on refugees in Zimbabwe. The research objectives for the study were to explore the challenges that refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced children at TRC face, ascertain how COVID-19 has affected children at TRC, and propose solutions to these challenges. This research relied upon a mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approach considering the immediacy of the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary data is referred from published articles and organizational reports. The population size of 2,304 children aged 12 to 17 was obtained through the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR)’s January 2021 population statistics for TRC. A 10% sample of 230 respondents was selected. Non-probability sampling techniques were used in administering a questionnaire through individual and focus group interviews, which were fed into KoBo Toolbox. Data cleaning and analysis were conducted, with SPSS and NViVo for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, respectively.  Ethical considerations of consent, confidentiality, do no harm, and statements to withdraw from the study were employed. The process involved strict observance of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on COVID-19. The research was conducted between April 2020 and February 2021. Results showed that displaced children suffered a spectrum of challenges before COVID-19. During the COVID-19 period, respondents had limited access to child protection services, experienced increased conflicts at home, and limited access to formal learning and entertainment: their already dire situation was exacerbated by COVID-19. The study recommends the upgrade of the local secondary school to advanced level status, adoption of educational innovations in lieu of the COVID-19 pandemic, including radio, television, and virtual learning platforms; improved child protection mechanisms; accommodation; dietary diversity; access to water and sanitation hygiene; provision of electricity; adequate street lighting; activities for entertainment; and increasing awareness against child abuse and gender-based violence (GBV).

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunita Maharaj-Landaeta

The Objective of this paper is to showcase the experience of teachers who work with children of refugees, asylum seekers and children on the move in Trinidad & Tobago. These experiences can be considered by other educators on the international front, who work with migrant children as a frame of reference for dealing with them when they enter new environments. This topic is quite relevant in a world where children are constantly being uprooted and have to leave their home countries for the unknown. The paper aims to highlight the unique context under which these migrant children are informally educated. For reasons of risk and child protection, the paper will not use real names, locations and will focus only on the experiences of the educators/teachers. The paper will highlight the views of 29 teachers and teaching volunteers who spent more than 20 months trying to find alternative educational solutions for children of refugees, asylum seekers and migrant children on the move who are not allowed to enter the mainstream of public or private schools within Trinidad & Tobago. To give background and context, The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago acceded to the 1951 Convention on the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. In 2019, the country has still, not passed any legislation or administrative regulations on asylum or refugee status, nor established a national refugee status determination procedure. The Venezuelan crisis and Cuban political and economic situation have contributed to a dramatic rise in the number of asylum seekers and refugees reaching to the nearby shores of Trinidad & Tobago in recent times. The borders of T&T are quite porous, and relatively unprotected allowing for constant new arrivals. Phillips (2018) reported, ‘160 arrivals everyday’. This influx of migrants and children on the move is putting the Republic in a position where educational practices need to be more closely examined, as the country’s lack of legislation on refugee and asylum matters, and the country’s immigration law, adopted prior to accession to international refugee instruments, does not provide an adequate framework for refugee protection and asylum issues. This simply put, means that the migrant population does not have the right to work, the right to an education; or any legal rights. Poignant is that the average Trinbagonian seems quite unaware of the needs and plight of this population of concern (POC). There are many uncertainties and negative impacts, since Trinidad & Tobago is considered by all to be a transit point and not a settlement zone for refugees, asylum seekers and people on the move. This paper will trace the challenges involved in educating the children of these persons who do not have legal standing within the country from the perspective of educators who have been directly involved in searching for educational solutions.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Zizwani Brian Chilinda ◽  
Mark L. Wahlqvist ◽  
Meei-Shyuan Lee ◽  
Yi-Chen Huang

Along with sanitation and hygiene, water is a well-known driver of child undernutrition. However, a more direct role of household (HH) water access in shaping dietary diversity remains unexplored. We assessed the association between HH water access and achievement of minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among young children. We utilized nationally-representative cross-sectional data from the 2015/16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey, which included 4727 mother–child dyads, respectively, (26.8 ± 6.8 years, range 15–49 years) and (13.9 ± 4.9 months, range 6–23 months). HH water access was categorized as (1) basic or no access, (2) intermediate, or (3) optimal. MDD was defined as feeding a child, during the previous day, at least four of the food groups defined by the World Health Organization. Only 27.7% of the children achieved MDD standards; most of the children who achieved MDD were from HHs with optimal water access (58.4%, p < 0.001). However, only 5.9% of the mother–child dyads were from HHs with optimal water access. After adjusting for covariates, children from HHs with optimal water access had higher odds of achieving MDD than those from HHs with basic or no water access (aOR = 1.74, CI = 1.24–2.46). Our results highlight the need to incorporate water-based strategies into national nutritional policies to increase dietary diversity among Malawian infants and young children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16089-e16089
Author(s):  
Jean Henri Schoueri ◽  
Luis Eduardo Werneck De Carvalho ◽  
Isabella Batista Martins Portugal ◽  
Manuela de Almeida Roediger ◽  
Edige Felipe de Sousa Santos ◽  
...  

e16089 Background: There are substantial disparities in esophageal cancer mortality across different social groups, including sex, race/ethnicity, geographical location and socio-economic status. Methods: This is an ecological study with secondary data from 2016 to 2018 that evaluated the effects of income-inequality and number of doctors per inhabitant on esophageal cancer mortality in Brazil and its Federative Units. The amount of deaths and the overall number of doctors were obtained from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System. Mortality was estimated per 100,000 individuals and age-standardized through the World Health Organization’s population, whereas the rate of doctor per inhabitant was calculated per 1,000 inhabitants. Income-Inequality was measured by the Gini index, obtained from the United Nations Development Programme. Linear regression was performed by the stepwise backward method. Results: Sex, Gini index values and oncology surgeons were all related to lower mortality rates (p < 0.05), whereas clinical oncologists and general surgeons were both associated with higher mortality (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Esophageal cancer mortality rates were influenced by both the type and amount of doctors per inhabitant of any given administrative region in Brazil, however there was no association found with regards to income inequality.[Table: see text]


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Rawlinson ◽  
Rabeea’h Aslam ◽  
Girvan Burnside ◽  
Anna Chiumento ◽  
Malena Eriksson-Lee ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Asylum seekers and refugees (AS&Rs) experience impaired mental health and wellbeing, related to stresses in their country of origin, experiences in transit and reception on arrival, including significant barriers to accessing mainstream services. Their contact with healthcare is often crisis-driven and mediated through non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Problem Management Plus (PM+) is a psychosocial intervention recommended by the World Health Organization to address distress experienced by adults affected by humanitarian crises. We are investigating its application for the first time in a high income country. Methods In a pilot randomised controlled trial, PM+ will be delivered to AS&Rs in contact with NGOs in Liverpool City Region, UK, by lay therapists who have lived experience of forced migration. Following systematic review and stakeholder engagement, PM+ has been adapted to the local context, and lay therapists have been trained in its delivery. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a three-arm RCT of five 90-minute sessions of PM+, delivered individually or in groups by lay therapists to AS&Rs experiencing emotional distress and functional impairment, compared with each other and with usual support offered by local NGOs. Distress and impairment at baseline will be measured by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHO-DAS). We aim to recruit 105 participants, 35 per arm. Primary health outcomes are anxiety and depressive symptoms at 3 months, measured by HADS. Secondary outcomes include subjective wellbeing, functional status, progress on identified problems, post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder and service usage. Longer term impact will be assessed at 6-months post baseline, on the same parameters. We will assess the feasibility of conducting a full RCT in relation to the following elements: recruitment and retention of lay therapists and study participants; fidelity of delivery of PM+; and suitability of the study measures, including any linguistic or cultural barriers. Discussion We will use these findings to specify the parameters for a full randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of PM+ in reducing emotional distress and health inequalities, and improving functional ability and wellbeing, amongst asylum seekers and refugees.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 571
Author(s):  
Sulistyo Utomo ◽  
Ira Alia Maerani

This research aims to identify and analyze the existence of the application of criminal penalties in the handling of criminal cases Child Protection in Indonesia and analyze the effectiveness of criminal fines when viewed from the perspective of children as victims of crime.Method used is socio-juridical using primary and secondary data. Primary data collection technique is done with the interview, and secondary data by reading, reviewing and analyzing primary legal materials, secondary legal materials, tertiary legal materials with qualitative analysis techniques, interpreted logically and systematically and drawn conclusions.Based on the survey results revealed that the existence of the application of criminal penalties in the handling of criminal cases Child Protection in Indonesia criminal fines in criminal prospects are just as an alternative or substitute for imprisonment or confinement. And effectiveness this penalty has not run optimally because the defendant would prefer to replace the criminal penalties to imprisonment.The conclusion of this thesis is that the implementation or execution of criminal penalties in Indonesia have not been effective or not maximized because law enforcement or judges tend to prefer the imprisonment of the criminal finesKeywords: Criminal Fines; Criminal Prison; Children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Tesfaye Guja ◽  
Yabsira Melaku ◽  
Eshetu Andarge

Meeting minimum standards of dietary quality in mothers and children is a challenge in many developing countries including Ethiopia. Emerging evidence suggests that maternal and child dietary diversity is associated, but little is known about the associated factors of concordance of mother-child dietary diversity in Ethiopia and none is documented in the study area. This study examines the concordance between mother-child (6–23 months) dyads dietary diversity and the associated factors in Kucha District, Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 791 mother-child (6–23 months) pairs from 11 selected kebeles on March 6 to April 13, 2017. Multistage cluster sampling technique was used to select the study subjects. The sampling frame was obtained from the family folder of health posts in each kebele. The mother-child pairs were selected by the simple random sampling method. The 7 food groups of the World Health Organization (WHO) for children and the 10 food groups of FANTA/FAO 2016 for mothers were used to analyze the dietary diversity. Cohen’s kappa statistics was calculated to see the strength of concordance. The multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to determine factors affecting mother-child dietary diversity concordance. A good concordance was noted between mother-child dietary diversity scores (Kappa = 0.43). Only 56 (7.1%) mothers were negative deviants, and 133 (16.8%) mothers were positive deviants in dietary diversity consumption. Rural residence (AOR = 3.49; 95% CI: 1.90–6.41), having no formal education (AOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.08–3.05), not owning milking cow (AOR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.10–2.56), children with low dietary diversity (AOR = 8.23; 95% CI: 5.17–13.08), and mothers with low dietary diversity (AOR = 0.46; 95% CI: 0.29–0.74) were found to be factors associated with mother-child dietary diversity concordance. An increase in the percentage of children reaching the minimum dietary diversity was greater with a successive increase in maternal dietary diversity. Despite interesting similarities between mothers and children dietary consumption, more than three-quarters of concordants did not achieve the recommended dietary diversity score (were low concordants). Interventions targeting on rural women’s access to high school education, home-based milking cow rearing, and promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture to meet the dietary requirements of mothers and children in a sustainable manner and public health efforts to improve child nutrition may be strengthened by promoting maternal dietary diversity due to its potential effect on the entire family.


2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (10) ◽  
pp. 997-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Grote ◽  
Benjamin Schleenvoigt ◽  
Christine Happle ◽  
Christian Dopfer ◽  
Martin Wetzke ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Refugees often live in confined housing conditions with shared kitchen and sanitary facilities, rendering susceptible to communicable diseases. We here describe the outbreak, spread and self-limiting nature of a norovirus outbreak in a German refugee camp in the winter of 2015. Methods During a norovirus outbreak, data on clinical symptoms, nationality and living conditions was obtained in a refugee camp in northern Germany in the winter of 2015. Furthermore secondary data on norovirus outbreaks in 2015 was assessed. Results Amongst n = 982 refugees, n = 36 patients (3.7 %) presented with acute norovirus gastroenteritis. The vast majority of cases were children, only the first patient was admitted to the hospital. Intensified hygiene measures were implemented on day 2 of the outbreak, but new cases peaked on day 21 and occurred until one month after the first case. Different cultural backgrounds, eating habits and hygiene standards amongst the refugees made it particularly challenging to implement stringent isolation and hygiene measures. Despite these predisposing factors, only minor norovirus outbreaks were reported in refugee camps in 2015. Conclusion Adults refugees had a low attack rate of symptomatic norovirus infection, while small children are at high risk. Infection spreads despite hygiene measures and camp sites and staff should be prepared for the particular challenges of such situations with a particular focus on cultural-background specific implementation of hygiene measures.


2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 644-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
NP Steyn ◽  
JH Nel ◽  
G Nantel ◽  
G Kennedy ◽  
D Labadarios

AbstractObjectiveTo assess whether a food variety score (FVS) and/or a dietary diversity score (DDS) are good indicators of nutrient adequacy of the diet of South African children.MethodsSecondary data analyses were undertaken with nationally representative data of 1–8-year-old children (n = 2200) studied in the National Food Consumption Study in 1999. An average FVS (mean number of different food items consumed from all possible items eaten) and DDS (mean number of food groups out of nine possible groups) were calculated. A nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) is the ratio of a subject's nutrient intake to the estimated average requirement calculated using the Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization (2002) recommended nutrient intakes for children. The mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was calculated as the sum of NARs for all evaluated nutrients divided by the number of nutrients evaluated, expressed as a percentage. MAR was used as a composite indicator for micronutrient adequacy. Pearson correlation coefficients between FVS, DDS and MAR were calculated and also evaluated for sensitivity and specificity, with MAR taken as the ideal standard of adequate intake. The relationships between MAR and DDS and between anthropometric Z-scores and DDS were also evaluated.ResultsThe children had a mean FVS of 5.5 (standard deviation (SD) 2.5) and a mean DDS of 3.6 (SD 1.4). The mean MAR (ideal = 100%) was 50%, and was lowest (45%) in the 7–8-year-old group. The items with the highest frequency of consumption were from the cereal, roots and tuber group (99.6%), followed by the ‘other group’ (87.6%) comprising items such as tea, sugar, jam and sweets. The dairy group was consumed by 55.8%, meat group by 54.1%, fats by 38.9%, other vegetables by 30.8%, vitamin-A-rich by 23.8%, other fruit by 22%, legumes and nuts by 19.7% and eggs by 13.3%. There was a high correlation between MAR and both FVS (r = 0.726; P < 0.0001) and DDS (r = 0.657; P < 0.0001), indicating that either FVS or DDS can be used as an indicator of the micronutrient adequacy of the diet. Furthermore, MAR, DDS and FVS showed significant correlations with height-for-age and weight-for-age Z-scores, indicating a strong relationship between dietary diversity and indicators of child growth. A DDS of 4 and an FVS of 6 were shown to be the best indicators of MAR less than 50%, since they provided the best sensitivity and specificity.ConclusionEither FVS or DDS can be used as a simple and quick indicator of the micronutrient adequacy of the diet.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Paul Mkandawire ◽  
Joseph Kangmennaang ◽  
Chad Walker ◽  
Roger Antabe ◽  
Kilian Atuoye ◽  
...  

Background/aims With coverage of antenatal care in sub-Saharan Africa approaching a universal level, attention is now turning to maximising the life-saving potential of antenatal care. This study assessed the gestational age at which pregnant mothers make their first antenatal visit in the context of high antenatal coverage in Lesotho. Methods For the purposes of this study, secondary data from the Demographic and Health Survey of 2014 was analysed. These data were collected in 2014, via an interviewer administered questionnaire. Survival analysis was applied to the data, using Stata SE 15 to compute time ratios that estimate time to first antenatal visit in Lesotho. Results Despite near universal coverage, only 24% of mothers start antenatal care before 12 weeks of gestation, as recommended by the World Health Organization. In addition, mothers with unwanted pregnancies are most likely to delay antenatal care until later in gestation, followed by mothers with mistimed pregnancies. Education, but not wealth, correlates with the start of antenatal care. Conclusions Having achieved near universal coverage, emphasising a prompt start and adherence to recommended visits could optimise the life-saving potential of antenatal care in Lesotho.


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