The horizontal application of constitutional rights in a comparative perspective

Abstract

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that at the beginning of the 21st century some 10 million of the world's 23.3 million refugees were children. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 2005 Global Appeal reports 4.2 million adults and children of concern in Africa alone. The main countries from which these migrants originate include Sudan, Angola, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the key factors which influence the migration of children include trafficking and smuggling, war and poverty, as well as lack of access to socio-economic rights in the countries of origin.