Are you under 18? If you are, this page is for you! You will find information about services for children and young people who have had to leave their home country and are now in Ethiopia.
I’m under 18, am I allowed to contact UNHCR? 👧🏽👦🏽
Yes, you are! If you are in Ethiopia with your family, it may be a good idea to talk to your parents or a trusted adult first, but you can also contact us on your own. 😊 If you need information or support from UNHCR, you can contact us by email 📧 or through a hotline 📞. Tell us your name, age, and phone 📞 WhatsApp number or email address @, or any other way to get in touch with you. It is also a good idea to tell us your parents’ names if they are in Ethiopia with you. You can also tell us that if you are not with your parents.
📱💻 You can contact us online through the Digital Request and Complaint System (DRCS)
📱📞if you are in Addis Ababa, call us at +251905012823 (Monday to Friday from 08:30- 17:00, except Friday until 14:00)
I’m staying in Ethiopia without my parents. Can UNHCR help me find them or other people in my family? 🔍 👶🏽👧🏽👦🏽👩🏽👱🏽♂️👩🏽🦳👨🏽🦳
It is not always easy or possible to find people who are missing, or to get families back together, but as a child, you have the right to be with your parents and family. If you are not with your parents, it is a good idea to let us know so that we can help you stay safe in Ethiopia. We can also try to help you find them and get in touch with them.
My parents or other family members are living in another country. Can UNHCR help me to join them there? 🌍✈️
Governments of other countries all have different rules and ways of working to help families get back together. Your parents or your relatives in those countries should get in touch with the governments where they are in order to start the process. You can find out more by looking at the ➡️Family Reunification page and you can send the link to that page to your parents or relatives.
Someone has hurt me, or I am afraid that they will. What should I do?
No one has the right to abuse, neglect or mistreat any child – not even parents, relatives or teachers. If someone has hurt you or touched you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, or if you are afraid that someone will, some organisations can help you. If you contact UNHCR, we will do our best to help you. Contact the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), which works to protect children in Addis Ababa:
📱📞By Phone: +251114704874
✉️ By Post: JRS Child Protection Center, P.o.box: 12474, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Someone is holding me prisoner, and they won’t let me go unless I pay them, work for them or do other things for them that I don’t want to do. What should I do? 💻🏢👧🏽👦🏽📆
It is illegal for someone to hold you prisoner or control you and ask for money, work or services from you against your will. If you are in this situation, please contact UNHCR for more information and help.
📱💻 You can contact us online through the Digital Request and Complaint System (DRCS)
📱📞if you are in Addis Ababa, call us at +251905012823 (Monday to Friday from 08:30- 17:00, except Friday until 14:00)
I am not going to school right now, but I would like to. How can I get help to go to school? 🏫📚
Every child has a right to go to school, and UNHCR and our partner organisations may be able to help you to register for school. You can contact us as we explained above, and we will guide you through the process.
