Statement by UNICEF Europe and Central Asia Regional Office and Special Coordinator for the Refugee and Migrant Response in Europe, Regina De Dominicis
GENEVA/LAMPEDUSA, Italy, 1 January 2025 – “Just hours before the year’s end, a small boat sank off the coast of Lampedusa, leaving more than 20 people missing, including women and children. Among the seven survivors is an eight-year-old child whose mother is among those unaccounted for. The boat reportedly sank as it approached the shore.
“This tragedy comes only weeks after another deadly incident off the island left an 11-year-old girl as the sole survivor.
“The death toll and number of missing persons in the Mediterranean in 2024 have now surpassed 2,200, with nearly 1,700 lives lost on the central Mediterranean route alone. This includes hundreds of children, who make up one in five of all people migrating through the Mediterranean. The majority are fleeing violent conflict and poverty.
“UNICEF calls on governments to use the Migration and Asylum Pact to prioritize safeguarding children. This includes ensuring safe, legal pathways for protection and family reunification, as well as coordinated search and rescue operations, safe disembarkation, community-based reception, and access to asylum services.
“We also urge increased investment in essential services for children and families arriving via dangerous migration routes, including psychosocial support, legal aid, health care, and education.
“Governments must address the root causes of migration and support the integration of families into host communities, ensuring children’s rights are protected at every stage of their journey.”
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UNICEF Europe and Central Asia
Email: imazur@unicef.org
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UNICEF New York
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Email: jenglish@unicef.org
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