289 children dead in 2023 trying to cross Mediterranean Sea, says UNICEF report

Geneva: The United Nations children's agency, UNICEF, has revealed that 289 children lost their lives in the first half of 2023 while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe.

This figure is double the number recorded during the same period in 2022, underscoring the urgent need for expanded safe and legal pathways for children seeking asylum in Europe.

Verena Knaus, UNICEF's global lead on migration and displacement, expressed concern that the actual number of child fatalities may be higher due to unrecorded shipwrecks or instances where no survivors are found.

Knaus said, "The number of children who have lost their lives while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe has doubled in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year." She further disclosed that an estimated 11,600 children made the perilous crossing in the first six months of 2023, nearly twice as many as in 2022.

Highlighting the dire situation, UNICEF reported that in the first three months of 2023, approximately 3,300 children, accounting for 71% of all children arriving in Europe via the central Mediterranean route, were recorded as unaccompanied or separated. This figure represents a threefold increase compared to the same period in 2022.

In response to these distressing statistics, Verena Knaus emphasised the need for immediate action by world leaders.

She said, "These children need to know they are not alone. World leaders must urgently act to demonstrate the undeniable worth of children's lives, moving beyond condolences to the resolute pursuit of effective solutions."

The UNICEF report underscores the critical need for enhanced measures to protect vulnerable children and provide them with safe and legal alternatives to perilous migration journeys. The organisation advocates for expanded pathways that prioritise the safety and well-being of children seeking refuge in Europe.