Angelique Chettiparamb gives opening remarks at Consultation on Inclusion of Migrant Children

The theme of the seminar was ‘child migration’, with discussions around education of migrant children; safety and child friendly opportunities of migrant children and measures to safeguard the rights and entitlements of child migrants.

Dr Chettiparamb highlighted the issue of trauma faced by migrant children. This can be very high and distressing in situations where migrant children are denied basic human rights and find themselves trafficked and exploited. Dr Chettiparamb stressed that even when migrating to a regulated and relatively enlightened environment with reasonable access to health and education children can be traumatised. She outlined how and why both left-behind children and children accompanying parents to a new environment can both be stressed in different ways.

The consultation was organised by the Department of Women and Child Development, Government of Kerala, India; the Centre for Development Studies, Kerala; the Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development, Perumbavoor, Kerala and Aide et Action, an NGO.

The consultation workshop was attended by Dr Ravi Raman, Kerala State Planning Board; Mr A, Shahjahan, Secretary, Department of General Education, Kerala Government and Mr Biju Prabhakar, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development. Dr Chettiparamb is currently on a fellowship studying internal migration within India.