Record Numbers of Unaccompanied Children Arrive in Italy – UNICEF
NEW YORK (October 18, 2016) – Three newborn babies – two born on Italian Coastguard boats in the Central Mediterranean and one at port – are among the newest arrivals of refugee and migrant children in Italy, as numbers of children hit record levels, says UNICEF.
In the first nine months of 2016, more children arrived by sea in Italy than in all of last year. This year, more than 90 percent of the children traveled alone, while in 2015 the unaccompanied accounted for 75 percent. This year has also seen an increase of children from Egypt, but most still come from West Africa.
Between January and October 2016, it is estimated that more than 20,000 unaccompanied and separated children arrived by sea to Italy. This is already more than in 2015, when there were in total 16,500 child arrivals, of whom 12,300 were unaccompanied and separated children.*
According to a UNICEF team on the ground, the situation of refugee and migrant children in Italy is increasingly desperate and the Italian child protection system is overstretched.
“Each week hundreds of children arrive here; every one of them has real burning needs – from the fragile newborn babies to the teenagers traveling alone who have no idea what to expect in a foreign land,” said Sabrina Avakian, a UNICEF child protection officer currently in Calabria, Italy to assess the needs of refugee and migrant children, especially the new arrivals.
“Some of the children are deeply distressed from the journey; they witnessed drownings, some have terrible chemical burns from the fuel on the dinghies; the babies and their mothers need special care in breastfeeding; they all need proper protection and accommodation, and it is just taking far too long for them.”
Tragically, in the ongoing drama of life and death at sea, a Nigerian mother remained in a state of total shock after her two little boys, aged three and four, slipped from her arms and drowned on the deadly sea crossing from Libya. More than 3,100 people have drowned so far in 2016 in the Central Mediterranean, making it the most dangerous year on record. An unknown number of children have died at sea.
The three newborn Eritrean babies and their young mothers are said to be in good health. Their births had been registered and they are being cared for by health workers in Catania.
On boats managed by the Italian Coastguards, UNICEF has set up child friendly spaces for small children. For teenagers, the UNICEF team is providing psycho-social support to young boys and girls on their arrival. Together with partners such as UNHCR and the Italian social services, UNICEF is working to speed up the appointment of guardians and improve reception conditions. The high number of foreign children has led to significant delays – sometimes up to a year – in appointing guardians or providing legal support.
Note to editors:
As of October 12, 144,000 refugees and migrants had arrived in Italy, according to the Italian authorities. According to IOM and UNHCR estimates, 20,000 unaccompanied and separated children arrived by sea. The total number of all children is not yet established. This year, unaccompanied and separated children have made up 91% of all those arriving through Italy. In 2015, there were 16,478 child arrivals, of whom 12,360 (or 75%) were unaccompanied and separated children.
About UNICEF
The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.
For more information, contact:
Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org