Women and young people account for a significant share of migration flows across Africa. While many actively shape their own mobility decisions and contribute to the social and economic development of their communities, they often face heightened risks of exploitation, discrimination and violence throughout the migration journey. These challenges can arise at every stage, from departure and transit to arrival and integration. Addressing them requires a comprehensive approach to human security that protects dignity and physical integrity while ensuring access to rights, protection mechanisms and the socio-economic opportunities associated with safe and regular mobility.

Available data confirms that migration to Africa is largely gender-balanced, with  nearly 47% of migrants being women. This figure has increased over the years and varies across different regions of the continent.

African migrant women are not merely dependents or companions of their families; many migrate independently, primarily for economic, family-related or educational reasons.

At the same time, young migrants – generally defined as those aged 15 to 34 – make up a significant proportion of migration, often seeking educational or employment opportunities in contexts characterised by socio-economic fragility.

Root causes of migration among women and young people

  • Economic and social factors

Structural challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and a lack of economic opportunities push many women and young people to migrate. In certain West African countries such as Burkina Faso and Mali, migrant women represent an increasing proportion of the mobile population, often seeking to escape challenging economic situations.

  • Violence and insecurity

Gender-based violence (GBV) and insecurity in countries of origin or transit can also prompt migration, with women and girls fleeing forced marriages, domestic violence and armed conflicts.

  • Access to education and empowerment

For some young African women, migration can provide access to education and professional opportunities unavailable locally, thereby empowering them.

Specific risks along the migration journey

The migration journey is not risk-free: at every stage, women and young migrants face specific risks that are often invisible.

  • Sexual violence and exploitation

There are many documented cases of sexual violence and physical abuse along migration routes and in transit countries. A recent report highlights that young girls and migrant women frequently fall victim to violence and exploitation at the hands of smugglers or criminal networks, particularly in Libya and along the Mediterranean route.

  • Exposure to trafficking and forced labour

In several migration corridors, women are at risk of human trafficking, forced prostitution and exploitative working conditions. Data show that migrant women in countries such as Niger and Morocco often work in the informal economy without proper labour rights and are sometimes forced into exploitative situations in order to survive.

  • Structural barriers to accessing rights

A lack of documentation, discrimination and limited access to education, reproductive health services and formal employment are challenges that exacerbate the vulnerability of women and young people in migration contexts.

Young migrant women: invisible risks and specific needs

Young women, particularly adolescents, are doubly vulnerable. They may be exposed to unintended pregnancies, sexual exploitation, dropping out of school, or receiving insufficient psychosocial support due to their age and migratory status.

A lack of information and access to services combined with social stereotypes contributes to their specific needs being overlooked, reducing their ability to claim protection and assistance.

Strengthening Human Security: initiatives and responses

Specific policies, services and approaches are required throughout the migration journey of women and young migrants to ensure their human security.

  • Protection and prevention of abuse

Coordinated operations led by organisations such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are underway in West Africa to strengthen the protection of people on the move, with a particular focus on women and children.

  • Community services and support centres

Local initiatives, such as the Foyer féminin Tchimakrassan women’s support centre in Agadez, in Niger provide safe and empowering spaces for female migrants and local women. These initiatives provide access to skills training, social support and community networks.

  • Awareness-raising and empowerment

Educational programmes that “equip young girls to become champions of equity” help to reduce gender inequalities and strengthen understanding of human rights from an early age, including in migration contexts.

  • Regional approaches and coordination

The establishment of regional frameworks to improve cooperation, information sharing and protection along migration routes – such as the Route-Based Approach in West Africa – demonstrates the necessity of a coordinated response to human security issues.

Addressing structural drivers for sustainable human security

Strengthening human security cannot be limited to isolated humanitarian interventions. The root causes that push women and young people to migrate in dangerous conditions must be addressed:

  • Strengthen access to education, decent employment and social protection in countries of origin.
  • Ensure that women on the move have access to reproductive and psychosocial health services.
  • Implement gender-sensitive migration policies supported by specific data collection to better inform interventions.
  • Strengthen access to justice and protection against gender-based violence in all affected countries.