Children On The Move Publication

Children On The Move Publication

Children On The Move Publication is an award-winning editorial design project that serves as a comprehensive reference document addressing the critical need for standardized terminology and reliable data concerning children affected by migration and displacement globally. Developed through a collaborative effort spanning from May 2023 to August 2024, this publication represents a significant contribution to the field of humanitarian communication design, specifically addressing the complex challenge of defining and categorizing vulnerable child populations across diverse migration contexts. The publication emerged from the recognition that migration and displacement terminology has historically been defined inconsistently across international institutions, legal frameworks, and humanitarian organizations, creating substantial obstacles to accurately assessing the circumstances and numbers of migrant and displaced children worldwide. The design employs three meticulously crafted isometric infographic illustrations that visually articulate the experiences of children on the move across distinct scenarios including armed conflict, climate crisis, and pandemic situations, utilizing a sophisticated color-coding system to organize migration terms into six distinct categories: international migrant children (blue), children in need of international protection (red), internally displaced children (yellow), children indirectly affected by migration and displacement (green), other groups of children on the move (orange), and children in highly vulnerable situations (purple). Created primarily using Adobe Illustrator for the isometric infographic illustrations and Adobe InDesign for the publication layout, the work measures 210mm x 297mm and demonstrates exceptional skill in translating complex humanitarian concepts into accessible visual narratives that balance clarity with informational depth. The publication establishes a shared conceptual framework that identifies key groups comprising the diverse population of children on the move, presents the latest global data for each group, highlights populations for whom data remains limited or unavailable, and includes sample scenarios illustrating how terminology applies to real-life situations and how children may transition between categories. The design's innovative approach to information architecture and visual storytelling has earned widespread recognition from stakeholders and humanitarian organizations, demonstrating how strategic graphic design can serve as a powerful tool for policy development and child protection advocacy. The publication adopts an inclusive definitional approach to ensure that all groups of children directly and indirectly impacted by migration and displacement are properly counted and protected, acknowledging that migration terms may be defined differently according to their purpose, with legal, statistical, and conceptual definitions varying substantially to serve distinct ends. The work's vibrant color palette and detailed compositional elements effectively communicate essential definitions, data, and best practices while emphasizing the urgency of these global challenges, making complex humanitarian issues accessible to diverse audiences including policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. The publication has been showcased at multiple United Nations locations including New York and Copenhagen, as well as at international conferences, reflecting its significance as a tool for enhancing collaboration among stakeholders in improving data collection and utilization for evidence-based policy development. Children On The Move Publication received the Bronze A' Design Award in the Print and Published Media Design category in 2025, a prestigious recognition that acknowledges designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and professional execution, validating the publication's effectiveness in combining aesthetic excellence with functional communication objectives. The award designation recognizes the work's strong technical characteristics, tasteful use of creative skill, attention to detail, and its contribution to improving quality of life through enhanced understanding and protection of vulnerable child populations, demonstrating how thoughtful graphic design can address critical humanitarian challenges while maintaining high standards of visual communication and information design.

Children on the move, migration terminology, humanitarian publication design, isometric infographic illustration, data visualization for child protection, international displacement communication

— Adam Dawson