What it means to be young and displaced
It all began when I was 25 years old. Up until that time, I had lived in Colombia in apparent peace but in 2008 something new and tragic occurred. My future in Colombia died when members of my family were…
Being young and of mixed ethnicity in Rwanda
Many young people of mixed ethnicity are growing up in the shadow of the war and genocide. They are confronted with many decisions, choices and challenges. Their mixed background has an effect on their social identities, emotions, friendships, love relations,…
Intangible pressures in Jammu and Kashmir
Since 1989, the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir has been embroiled in a conflict between the Indian state and a nationalist movement that seeks the independence of Kashmir. Among the casualties of this conflict, it is estimated that 140,000…
New political subjects: children of displaced Kurds
Since 1984, the ongoing conflict between the Turkish army and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has caused the displacement of millions of Kurdish people in eastern and southeastern Turkey. In locations where forcibly displaced families live, the active participation of…
Choosing the street during crisis
Recent research[1] revealed that a significant number of children joined the streets in Rift Valley Province in Kenya after the brutal violence that followed the 2007 elections in Kenya, many of whom still remain on the streets. In 2011 37%…
Adolescent sexual and reproductive health in humanitarian settings
Imagine a 12-year-old girl recently settled in a refugee camp with her family. She is the eldest daughter and has five siblings. She tries to help her mother every day with cooking, collecting water, taking care of her younger brothers…
Young Costa Ricans and refugees working together for integration
For the International Year of Youth (2010-2011) UNHCR in Costa Rica, together with other UN organisations, civil society and government bodies, set up a project called ‘Links without borders: dialogue for the integration of young migrants, refugees and Costa Ricans’.…
Helping young refugees avoid exploitative living arrangements
Upon arrival in a country of first asylum, unaccompanied refugee youth, like most refugees, must immediately find a safe place to stay. For young refugees, the urgency to find shelter in an urban environment often means locating someone willing to…
Reintegration of young mothers
In Liberia, Sierra Leone and northern Uganda, young women’s lives were greatly disrupted by civil war. Part of this disruption was a fracturing in traditionally supportive relationships with family members, elders and peers. This article describes the findings of a…
La reintegración de las madres jóvenes
En Liberia, Sierra Leona y el norte de Uganda, las vidas de las jóvenes resultaron gravemente perturbadas por la guerra civil. Parte de esa perturbación fue la ruptura de las relaciones de apoyo tradicionales entre los miembros de la familia,…