Research Paper for the Red Cross Red Crescent Global Migration Lab: Operational models of cross-border collaboration on humanitarian action

Abstract

This report examines the collaboration between government bodies, international organizations (IOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and humanitarian agencies in providing aid to vulnerable migrants along the Central Mediterranean Route, focusing on Libya and Italy. The route, one of the most dangerous for migrants crossing from Africa to Europe, has seen a sharp rise in deaths and disappearances, particularly in early 2023. The report is divided into three sections: an analysis of existing cross-border collaboration models, such as those of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), applied to the Libyan context; a review of healthcare needs for migrants, particularly children, in Italy; and an assessment of child-specific healthcare provision models. The report identifies gaps in current collaboration efforts and concludes with recommendations for the Australian Red Cross (ARC) Global Migration Lab to improve the protection of migrant children’s health and well-being through increased collaboration transparency, enhanced service access, and a deeper understanding of vulnerable migrants’ needs.