ReliefWeb

Children on the move face a range of risks, lack protection and fall through the cracks during their desperate journeys through countries of origin, transit, arrival and return. Some 164,000 refugees and migrants, including 29,000 children, entered Europe in 2017, joining the 1.4 million people, including 360,000 children, who arrived in 2015-2016, and the 3.6 million people, including 1.2 million children, already hosted in Turkey.3 The Central Mediterranean was the most used route in 2017, with spikes of arrivals in the Eastern Mediterranean in the fall. Amid this fluid situation, additional routes through the Western Mediterranean and the Black Sea also re-emerged. Although protection systems have improved and social inclusion has progressed with increasing access to education, major gaps remain. Key challenges include the poor reception conditions, child migration detention and persistent discrimination against refugees and migrants. Many children are still unable to pursue education or access basic services. In Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, more than 20,000 stranded children remain in limbo, and in Italy, 90 per cent of arriving children are unaccompanied and/or separated.4 A continuum of care and protection is needed for children on the move, throughout their journeys, given the long-term impact that this experience will have on their lives.

Humanitarian strategy

In 2018, UNICEF will respond to the needs of children and women on the move, stranded, pushed back5 and seeking asylum in Europe.6 A two-pronged approach will combine life-saving humanitarian service delivery with capacity building, policy reform and technical assistance. UNICEF will continue to use mobile outreach to identify and refer at-risk children to relevant services, including psychosocial support. Government institutions will be supported to ensure protective guardianship, foster care, alternatives to detention, and regular and safe passage opportunities. Programming focused on the prevention of and response to gender-based violence (GBV) will be scaled up. Education and life-skills development will remain a pillar of the response and a tool for advancing the social inclusion of children. UNICEF will also provide essential items and carry out activities in early childhood development, health, nutrition and child rights monitoring. Cross-sectoral contingency capacity will be maintained to facilitate an immediate response to any emerging situations.7 Using a multi-regional and inter-agency approach, UNICEF will increase coordination and programming with countries of origin, transit and return to promote and protect the rights of refugee and migrant children.

Results from 2017

By 31 October 2017, UNICEF had US$34 million available against the US$43 million appeal (78 per cent funded).8 Since the start of the response in 2015, UNICEF has provided 261,000 refugee and migrant children with a range of services. In 2017, UNICEF used outreach teams to increase the identification and referral of at-risk children, reaching more than 15,300 children. An additional 9,800 children benefitted from psychosocial and community-based child protection support. More than 4,600 front-line workers in temporary care facilities for unaccompanied and separated children and reception and asylum centres across the region received training on child protection standards.9 UNICEF, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and non-governmental organizations developed the roadmap 'The Way Forward to Strengthened Policies and Practices for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in Europe' to support Member States to reinforce related protection systems. More than 8,700 children aged 6 to 17 years participated in UNICEF-supported structured non-formal education activities. UNICEF policy support and technical assistance contributed to the inclusion of some 6,000 children in formal education. UNICEF and children ombudspersons mobilized partners to monitor the rights of refugee and migrant children. Joint communication and advocacy conducted with UNICEF National Committees raised awareness of the situation of refugee and migrant children and supported their social inclusion.

Funding requirements

UNICEF is requesting US$53,399,000 to meet the needs of refugee and migrant children in Europe in 2018-2019. Inadequate funding will hinder the effort to eradicate the abuse that children are exposed to, and undermine their inclusion and access to basic services. The response will focus on key interventions that support children in the most concerned countries. To adapt to evolving and emerging situations, UNICEF is requesting flexible funding and including rapid reaction support. In line with UNICEF's multi-regional approach, these requirements complement those outlined in the Humanitarian Action for Children appeals for Syrian refugees,10 the West and Central Africa region, and the Middle East and North Africa region.