Kenya’s National Commission for Human Rights (KNCHR) has joined counterparts from Ethiopia, Mozambique and Zambia in sounding the alarm over worsening conditions for migrants using the Southern migration corridor, warning that weak protection systems are exposing thousands to abuse, exploitation and death.
In a joint statement issued on December 18 to mark International Migrants Day, the four National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) said countries along the Southern route serve simultaneously as points of origin, transit and destination for both regular and irregular migrants, creating complex protection challenges that are not being adequately addressed.
The commissions linked the rising movement of people to a combination of conflict, climate change impacts, shrinking economic opportunities and instability across sub-Saharan Africa.
However, they warned that tighter border controls, increased securitisation of migration and limited legal pathways are pushing migrants into more dangerous and irregular routes.
According to the statement, migrants travelling along the Southern corridor face grave risks, including human trafficking, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, exploitation, discrimination and statelessness.
The rights bodies noted that migration patterns in the region have become increasingly blurred, with asylum seekers, smuggled migrants and trafficking victims often treated as a single security problem rather than individuals with distinct protection needs.
The NHRIs expressed concern that governments are prioritising border enforcement over human rights, a trend they say is worsening migrant suffering instead of addressing the root causes of migration.
They reiterated that the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration remains a key framework for balancing state interests with the rights and dignity of migrants.
As part of their mandate, the commissions committed to strengthening their role in monitoring abuses, documenting violations and advising governments on rights-based migration governance.
They also agreed to deepen cooperation and dialogue among countries of origin, transit and destination along the Southern corridor.
The rights bodies further resolved to engage directly with migrants to document lived experiences and ensure appropriate remedies, in line with the 2025 International Migrants Day theme, “My migrant story: cultures and development.”
In a direct appeal to governments, the commissions urged states to adopt human rights–based migration policies, ratify and implement the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and faithfully apply the Global Compact on Migration.
They also called on African governments to expand bilateral and multilateral labour agreements that are gender-responsive, child-centred and disability-inclusive, while guaranteeing access to asylum, combating human trafficking, dismantling smuggling networks and upholding human rights for all, regardless of migration status.
The statement was issued in commemoration of International Migrants Day, underscoring what the commissions described as an urgent need for coordinated regional action before the humanitarian toll along the Southern migration route worsens further.
