Disturbing reports reveal that more than 11,600 children have made the perilous journey across the Central Mediterranean Sea to Italy without parents or legal guardians between January and mid-September 2023. This marks a stark 60% increase compared to the same period in the previous year, highlighting the escalating risks faced by unaccompanied or separated children.
Lampedusa, a small island in southern Italy, serves as a primary destination for those seeking asylum, safety, and opportunities in Europe. The recent surge in arrivals reached a peak this month, with a staggering 4,800 people arriving on a single day.
Children undertaking these treacherous journeys often find themselves on overcrowded inflatable dinghies or inadequate wooden fishing boats, exposing them to harsh weather conditions. Some are placed in the holds of ships or on iron barges, adding further peril to their navigation. The lack of a coordinated and adequate search and rescue framework, along with challenges in cooperation on disembarkation, exacerbates the dangers these children encounter at sea.
Rooted in war, conflict, violence, and poverty, the main drivers force children to flee their home countries alone. Evidence suggests that unaccompanied children face exploitation and abuse at various stages of their journeys, with girls and children from sub-Saharan Africa being the most vulnerable to abuse.
Between June and August 2023, a tragic toll of at least 990 lives, including children, was reported lost or disappeared while attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean Sea. This represents a triple increase compared to the same period in the previous summer when at least 334 people lost their lives. Many shipwrecks result in no survivors, and numerous incidents go unrecorded, potentially leading to a much higher true casualty count.
Surviving children often find themselves held in hotspots before being transferred to reception facilities that restrict movement. The number of unaccompanied children in such facilities across Italy has risen to over 21,700, up from 17,700 a year ago.
Regina De Dominicis, UNICEF Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe, expressed deep concern, stating, “The Mediterranean Sea has become a cemetery for children and their futures. The devastating toll on children seeking asylum and safety in Europe is a result of policy choices and a broken migration system.”
