One in three girl migrants interviewed in North Africa experienced or witnessed sexual abuse or other forms of gender-based violence while fleeing their home countries, according to a new study carried out by Save the Children, in cooperation with the Samuel Hall centre.
One in three girl migrants interviewed in North Africa by Save the Children experienced or witnessed sexual abuse or other forms of gender-based violence while fleeing their home countries towards Italy or Spain, the organization said in the study "Girls on the move in North Africa", conducted in cooperation with social enterprise Samuel Hall and published on May 31.
The research is based on interviews carried out in 2022 with girls and young women between the ages of nine and 24, mainly from sub-Saharan African countries, migrating to or through Libya, Tunisia and Morocco -- as well as arriving in Italy and Spain, the organization said.
The study found that one in five of the girls interviewed cited violence in the home as a reason for migration, while one in seven girls said they were fleeing forced or early marriage, according to Save the Children.
Stories of abuse and rights violations
Rainatou, 20, who lives in Spain, told the international organization that she fled her abusive father who beat her frequently and tried to marry her to an older man with three wives.
"My sisters fled home and we don't have any news from them to this day. And when my dad found out, he burned my feet so that I couldn't go outside," she said.
Marie, 14, who travelled from Cameroon with her mother, described multiple instances of being locked in houses in Morocco and Algeria. "People came to pick us up and take us to another place with women and children. We stayed for a few days without leaving the place, eating or drinking. In this place, they were raping people and even children. They were about to rape me as well, but my mother managed to save me," she was quoted as saying by Save the Children.
Call for support and information
Tory Clarkson, Save the Children's Migration and Displacement Initiative Director, said "girls who are migrating need targeted support that takes into account the gendered risks and barriers they face."
"Starting in their home countries, girls and their families need better access to information about migration prior to their departure, so they can make informed decisions, and take steps to make the journey as safe as possible if they choose to move. In transit locations, urgent interventions are needed to improve girls' access to social services, including medical care," concluded Clarkson.