Neglected Elderly Women Sleep On The Streets After IDP Camp’s Closure In Borno.
This week, we start in Tanzania, where a new VPN policy puts queer people at risk. Then, travel to Nigeria, where the closure of IDP camps has left many elderly women without homes. Finally, head to Thailand, to see BL TV dramas helping raise awareness about LGBT issues.
But first, off the coast of Djibouti, on April 22, 2024, a boat carrying 77 migrants capsized, leaving 24 dead, including children and 20 missing. A similar boat accident happened two weeks ago that claimed 38 lives.? According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), every year, thousands of African migrants, mainly from Ethiopia and Somalia, attempt to illegally migrate to Saudi Arabia and the Gulf nations, including Qatar and the United Arab Emirates through Djibouti. Unfortunately, a good majority of these migrants get stranded in Yemen, where they are left to face harsh conditions.?
Unable to cope with the difficult realities in Yemen, many migrants attempt to return to Djibouti by crossing the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait by boat or through desert regions on foot. Sadly, this usually results in the loss of life due to rough seas and currents, security risks, and harsh environmental conditions. For instance, in 2023 alone, at least 1350 deaths were recorded, with countless more unreported.? In response to this growing crisis, the IOM Djibouti, in collaboration with Djibouti authorities and 48 other humanitarian organizations, is working to prevent future tragedies and making provisions to address the humanitarian challenges migrants face along the Eastern route.