Protection of Refugee Adolescents in Transit Countries: Why we Cannot Wait.

Refugee adolescents in transit countries face displacement during one of the toughest periods in their lives. Stuck in between being too old to be treated like kids, but not quite recognized or appropriate to be treated as adults, they slip through the cracks of humanitarian aid and policy.

Our upcoming research looks at how refugee adolescents are protected while in transit, focusing on the relationship between adolescents and NGOs. We use Kenya and France as case studies, which act as both host and transit countries - but in vastly different ways. I produced the case study on Kenya and below are my conclusions on the state of adolescent refugee's protection there.

The state of adolescent refugee protection in Kenya

Kenya hosts a huge and diverse refugee population. A lot of them are teenagers dealing with displacement, whether they are living in camps, cities or makeshift settlements. Kenya has made some progress, like passing the Refugees Act of 2021 aiming to include refugees more fully. But on the ground, putting these policies into action still falls short. Refugee adolescents run into all kinds of barriers like interrupted education, finding healthcare, securing their documents or accessing protection services is tough, especially when they’re moving around or don’t have legal papers. On top of that, they are at risk of gender-based violence, early marriage, child labor, police harassment and all the mental strain that comes with it.

Non-governmental organizations step in to fill many of these gaps. They provide education, legal help, counseling and safe spaces tailored to teenagers. But the heavy reliance on NGOs shows where government protections are falling short. It also means that refugee adolescents are left vulnerable should funding dry up or policies change. Many adolescents themselves speak out about being left out of decisions that directly affect their lives and futures.

The situation in Kenya is not unique. It shows a bigger global problem that passing new laws is not enough without real follow through, teamwork and actually listening to adolescents. Protecting refugee teenagers in transit takes policies that see their unique challenges and believe in their potential to help their communities. Letting adolescents have a say is not just the right thing to do, it is necessary if we want refugee responses that really last and treat people with dignity.

Written by Karyn Ngalla

F2F Research and Policy Officer