Refugees & Child Abuse

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Most Europe-bound Refugee, Migrant Children Face Abuse...

Study: Most Europe-bound Refugee, Migrant Children Face Abuse
Wednesday 13th September, 2017 - A joint study by the U.N. Children's Fund and International Organization for Migration says up to three-quarters of refugee and migrant children and young people trying to reach Europe are abused, exploited and subject to trafficking.

The study, based on 20,000 interviews, 11,000 with refugee and migrant children, describes in detail the appalling levels of human rights abuses to which people on the move are subjected.

It finds children and young people traveling on the central Mediterranean route are at a particularly high risk of exploitation and trafficking. U.N. Children's Fund spokeswoman Sarah Crowe told VOA those moving along this route are mainly young Africans traveling across the Sahara from the Ivory Coast, Gambia, Nigeria, or other West African countries. "We also see from this report that the children who have less education and who are coming from sub-Saharan Africa have got a greater risk of being exploited, beaten and discriminated against at every step of the way, but specifically in Libya," Crowe said.

The report says most of the migrants and refugees passing through Libya are exposed to lawlessness, militias and criminality. A spokesman for the International Organization for Migration, Leonard Doyle, said the young people, ages 14 to 24, pay smugglers between $1,000 and $5,000 for their perilous journey. "People willingly go there. They pay for the journey. But, they do not realize that they are stepping into a trap where they become exploited. Horribly so. Women get put into the sex trade or sold as slaves. Boys are hugely abused."

The report is calling for the establishment of more regular, safe pathways for children on the move. It says services should be strengthened to protect migrant and refugee children whether in countries of origin, transit or destination. The study adds children on the move should not be held in detention and that other, less abusive alternatives, must be found.

Study Most Europe-bound Refugee Migrant Children Face Abuse

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Abuse, exploitation and trafficking 'stark reality' for migrant children trying to reach Europe - UN report
12 September 2017 -- More than 75 per cent of migrant and refugee children trying to reach Europe via the Central Mediterranean route face appalling levels of abuse, exploitation and trafficking, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said, calling on the continent to establish safe and regular pathways for migration.

"The stark reality is that it is now standard practice that children moving through the Mediterranean are abused, trafficked, beaten and discriminated against," said Afshan Khan, the UNICEF Regional Director and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Crisis in Europe. The grim picture is revealed in Harrowing Journeys: Children and youth on the move across the Mediterranean Sea, at risk of trafficking and exploitation, a joint UNICEF-IOM report, which notes that children from sub-Saharan Africa are targeted more than any other group, pointing to impact of discrimination and racism. Based on testimonies of some 22,000 migrants and refugees, including some 11,000 children and youth, the report also shows that while all migrants and refugees are at high risk, children and youth are far more likely to experience exploitation and trafficking than adults aged 25 years and above.

Furthermore, children and youth traveling alone or over longer periods, along with those possessing lower levels of education, were also found to be highly vulnerable to exploitation at the hands of traffickers and criminal groups over the course of their journeys. On top of these perils, young people reaching Europe often arrive heavily laden with debt, exposing them to further risks. On average, they have to pay between $1,000-$5,000 for the journey.

We must re-invigorate a rights-based approach to migration, improving mechanisms to identify and protect the most vulnerable throughout the migration process, regardless of their legal statusEugenio Ambrosi, IOM Regional Director "For people who leave their countries to escape violence, instability or poverty, the factors pushing them to migrate are severe and they make perilous journeys knowing that they may be forced to pay with their dignity, their wellbeing or even their lives," said Eugenio Ambrosi, the IOM Regional Director for the European Union (EU), Norway and Switzerland. "We must re-invigorate a rights-based approach to migration, improving mechanisms to identify and protect the most vulnerable throughout the migration process, regardless of their legal status," he noted. "EU leaders should put in place lasting solutions that include safe and legal migration pathways, establishing protection corridors and finding alternatives to the detention of migrant children," added UNICEF Regional Director Afshan Khan.

In addition to safe and regular pathways for children on the move, the UNICEF-IOM report also urges all concerned parties 8722; countries of origin, transit and destination, the African Union, the EU, international and national organizations with support from the donor community 8211 to prioritize strengthening of services to protect migrant and refugee children, finding alternatives to the detention of children on the move, working across borders to combat trafficking and exploitation, and combatting xenophobia, racism and discrimination against all migrants and refugees.

Abuse exploitation and trafficking tark reality for migrant children trying to reach Europe - UN report