25 May 2025 marks 62 years since the establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now known as the African Union (AU). To commemorate this milestone, the University of Pretoria hosted colourful and joyful Africa Week celebrations at its Future Africa Campus, under the theme “Global Security, Global Africa”. The discussions covered a range of critical issues, including social-political security, highlighting displacement, governance, and social cohesion as central to the broader theme. I believe that without social and political security, it is difficult to achieve other forms of security. As the academic commemorations of Africa Week draw to a close, let us remember the many who are unable to celebrate Africa Day—those whose lives are disrupted by the insecurity rooted in conflict, and by ongoing social, economic, political, and environmental instability across the continent. These conditions continue to force many into migration. Let us also remember that South-South migration defines much of the movement across our borders. We receive African brothers and sisters who are either integrated and assimilated into communities, or who find temporary refuge in camps.

Among the displaced are children—both accompanied and unaccompanied—who, either alone, or with their families, often undertake perilous journeys in search of better lives. Some are born to migrant and refugee parents in receiving countries. Indeed, some children who embark on these journeys—or who are part of these life stories—do manage to access better lives, opportunities, and services in receiving countries. However, for many, their hopes, dreams, and aspirations remain out of reach. Those with families who have the economic means often continue the difficult search for better lives beyond the continent. Meanwhile, countless children of migrants and refugees face lost futures. They find themselves unwelcome, undocumented, or worse—stateless. As a result, they are marginalised and easily become victims of physical, social, and psychological violence. Many are exploited and rendered powerless, unable to make claims to social justice or access human rights under prevailing migration circumstances.

To those of us in the human services professions like social work, who are in the front-line assisting child refugees and migrants integrate and assimilate into their receiving countries, may we be reminded of our callings in order to serve diligently and compassionately, even in instances where the circumstances are against us because displaced children remain a part of our conscience, they too constitute Africa’s future solutions for security.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not represent the official stance or policies of the University of Pretoria.