UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Talei Cama says UNICEF in partnership with Western Sydney University and the University of the South Pacific, is conducting a study on the impact of labour mobility schemes on children.

Noting the increase in parents moving particularly to Australia and New Zealand for work opportunities, Cama says they have observed increased pressure on care structures for children.

She says the study is being carried out in Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, and a report is expected by the end of the month.

UNICEF Child Protection Specialist Talei Cama

Cama adds that a significant number of children in the Pacific already live apart from their biological parents, and work schemes have increased these numbers, therefore UNICEF is focusing on protecting children separated from their parents.

“What this does it increases the risk to exploitation, to abuse, to neglect, you see adolescent also adopting risky behaviour, involvement in alchohol and drugs abuse and I think the impact also on the child when the child is separated from their bilogical parents or from their primary caregiver, there is a huge emotional impact on children that are in this situation.”

She says that the findings of the study will be shared with governments to help strengthen child protection policies.

“We support 14 countries so we see the need to support platforms and opportunities where we can work directly with our government partners but also other stakeholders, so that study findings and recommendations will be available at the end of this month.”

UNICEF believes that policies and legal frameworks regarding labour mobility need to include children’s well-being and integrate child protection concerns.

It also emphasizes the need to scale up parenting programs, especially for young caregivers left with the children when parents migrate.