Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- In 2024, the migration of children across Mexico and Central America escalated, further exposing children on the move to heightened risks, including violence, exploitation and family separation. In Panama alone, more than 300,000 people crossed the Darien Gap, including over 4,500 unaccompanied children.
- Children on the move continued to face critical threats to their safety, health and well-being. Many experienced malnutrition, limited access to clean water, gender-based violence (GBV) and severe disruptions to their education.
- Despite the 2024 humanitarian appeal being only 47 per cent funded, UNICEF continued to provide life-saving support across the region. This included access to safe water and sanitation for 590,000 people, mental health and psychosocial support for 115,000 children and caregivers, and educational assistance for more than 35,000 children. Additionally, 115,000 children and women accessed GBV prevention services, while 81,000 children were screened for malnutrition.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
In 2024, the migration of children throughout Mexico and Central America escalated, further exacerbating the region's already complex humanitarian crises. In Panama alone, over 300,000 crossings were recorded through the Darien Gap, including 64,764 children who accounted for 21 per cent of all migrants. Consequently, children now account for one in every five migrants crossing the Darien Gap, representing the fastest-growing demographic among those on the move in the region. Even more alarming, the number of unaccompanied children on the move increased by 36 per cent from 2023, reaching 4,500 in 2024.
Migration flows in Mexico have also surged, with 925,085 irregular migrants transiting the country between January and August 2024—a 132 per cent increase from the same period in 2023. Among them were 108,444 children, including 4,383 unaccompanied minors, reflecting a 70 per cent increase in child migration flows from the previous year. Many of these children originated from Venezuela, Ecuador, Honduras, Colombia and Guatemala. In Honduras 346,013 irregular migrants were recorded passing through in 2024, 26 per cent of whom were children. Furthermore, more than 111,600 encounters with unaccompanied children were recorded at the US-Mexico border between January and December 2024. Together, these figures underscore the scale of the current child migration crisis across the region and continue to raise alarm regarding the ongoing risks that many face.
Recent reports highlight the potential dangers, revealing that three in five migrants have experienced some form of mistreatment or abuse during their journey, including physical, sexual and psychological violence, as well as exploitation. Additionally, 38 per cent of migrants reported being victims of threats, intimidation or attacks. Children on the move, particularly unaccompanied minors, remain disproportionately vulnerable, facing heightened risks of family separation, exploitation and physical and psychological harm.
The situation is further exacerbated by multiple ongoing humanitarian crises within the region, including food insecurity, climate-related hazards and armed violence. Over 5.6 million people in the region, including 1.9 million children, are facing acute food insecurity, often driven by climate-related events, such as droughts, wildfires and floods. In Guatemala, 28,701 cases of acute malnutrition were reported in 2024, marking a 16 per cent increase from the previous year. Of these cases, 21 per cent were classified as severe, with 83 deaths recorded among children under five. Widespread armed violence further compounds the crisis, with the region reporting some of the highest child and adolescent homicide rates worldwide. Escalating insecurity and displacement continue to force families, particularly children, to flee their homes in search of safety.
The rising number of vulnerable children and families on the move have placed immense pressure on existing services, particularly in remote communities and transit hotspots where resources are scarce or non-existent. Despite securing less than half of the originally US$153 million appealed amount, UNICEF optimized its resources to deliver essential services throughout 2024, UNICEF maximised its resources to provide essential services throughout 2024, ensuring healthcare, nutrition, protection, education, safe water, sanitation and mental health support for vulnerable children and families along migration routes. UNICEF also strengthened preparedness, anticipatory actions and emergency response efforts to address the immediate needs of communities affected by multiple crises, including climate-related hazards and armed violence. This included adapting critical services and ensuring the timely delivery of essential supplies to remote and underserved areas. Of course, with full funding, UNICEF could have reached an even greater number of children in need, expanded critical services and responded more effectively to the escalating humanitarian demands of children on the move across the region.