Children on the move are routinely referred to as ‘vulnerable’ although the meaning of the term has not been defined or clarified for the child protection context. Vulnerability is often understood as a deficit and equated with weakness and a need of protection. From a child rights-based approach, vulnerability refers to the limited chances of a child to fully exercise her or his rights as afforded under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.CARDET, Defence for Children International – Italy et al., IMPACT, Improving Monitoring and Protection Systems Against Child Trafficking and Exploitation, Transnational Analysis, 2013.United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Conclusion on Children at Risk, Executive Committee Conclusions, No. 107(LVIII), 5 October 2007. Existing definitions of vulnerability that are in use in the context of poverty reduction, health and nutrition can be useful in the child protection context.
