At least 289 children are known to have died at sea in the first six months of this year while attempting to reach Europe, according to the United Nations children agency (UNICEF).
The figure is nearly double the number recorded in the first half of 2022, the UNICEF said on Friday, adding that the children made the perilous journeys across the Mediterranean Sea driven by conflict and climate change.
Verena Knaus, the UNICEF’s global lead on migration and displacement, said the true figures were likely to be higher as many shipwrecks on the Central Mediterranean leave no survivors or go unrecorded.
From the article,
“Along the way, they can be exposed to detention, deprivation, torture, trafficking, violence, exploitation and rape.”
Jesus, this is depressing. I only hope there is something that can be done in order for these children to reach their destination safely.
No child should ever have to endure this.
What can be done is to stop electing neo-liberal/right-wing/conservative politicians in the EU, so Frontex can be turned upside-down to do the job it’s needed for - helping people at our borders, instead of actively or passively killing them!