Photo: UNICEF
–
Panama City, December 7, 2021 (UNESCO) – The number of children and adolescents affected by migration in Latin America and the Caribbean could reach 3.5 million next year, UNICEF said today at the launch of its largest humanitarian appeal for the region. This figure, which includes both migrant children and adolescents as well as those living in host communities, represents an increase of 47% compared to 2021.
“Never before has Latin America and the Caribbean seen such a high number of children and adolescents – often very young – emigrate with their parents,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Families carry their young children, sometimes babies, for thousands of kilometers, crossing almost the entire continent, in search of a better life. For more than a year, COVID-19 and strict lockdowns dragged them further into poverty and left them with no choice but to emigrate. Some children and adolescents are alone during the trip. These migrant children and adolescents run the risk of being exposed to trafficking, exploitation, kidnapping, violence and even death ”.
The combined effects of climate change, extreme weather events, violence, school closures, and the socioeconomic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have further fueled several migratory flows in Latin America and the Caribbean, with more and more families with children and adolescents on the move.
Migration rates from Central America and Mexico to the United States are increasing significantly, and around 1.2 million children and adolescents from migrant families and host communities are expected to need humanitarian assistance next year.
In addition, a large number of Venezuelan families with children and adolescents continue to migrate through the region. More than 2 million children and adolescents, including those from Venezuela and those from host communities in neighboring countries, are expected to need humanitarian assistance next year.
Almost 30,000 children and adolescents, of which three out of four are under the age of 5, have survived the treacherous journey through the Darien jungle, which stretches between Colombia and Panama. The number of children and adolescents who crossed the jungle in 2021 is greater than that of the previous four years combined. This strenuous and extreme ten-day journey that can only be covered on foot is one of the most dangerous migratory routes in the world. Lack of drinking water, river crossings, dangerous fauna and possible extortion are the main threats faced by migrant children and adolescents.
Together with its partners on the Panamanian border, UNICEF provides clean water, health services and psychosocial support to children, adolescents and pregnant women both en route and in local host communities. From the Colombian side of the border, our teams also work with local authorities to identify unaccompanied children and adolescents separated from their families through mobile units.
“For the first time, all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are affected by this new wave of child migration, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination,” said Gough. “Such a large flow of migrant children and adolescents is not a cross-border issue between two countries; it is a continental problem that requires a continental solution. Many governments in the region have limited capacity and knowledge to respond to the specific needs of large numbers of migrant children and adolescents, sometimes even newborns ”.
In addition to addressing the growing needs of migrant children and adolescents, UNICEF’s humanitarian priorities for 2022 include assisting children and adolescents, families affected by violence, increasing poverty and the socio-economic impact of the pandemic throughout the region. UNICEF estimates that, next year, more than 57 million people, including 20.8 million children and adolescents, will need humanitarian assistance in Latin America and the Caribbean. UNICEF is urgently seeking $ 750 million to meet the urgent needs of 14 million people throughout the region.
In Haiti, for example, the situation of children and adolescents is increasingly complex after the earthquake of August 2021, aggravated by the impact of urban violence, internal displacement and the reception of returned Haitian migrants in extremely difficult conditions. tough, all in the midst of ongoing political and social upheaval. In this country, UNICEF will need 97 million dollars to respond to the worsening humanitarian situation that affects 2.1 million children and adolescents.
In 2021, UNICEF reached more than 15 million people with humanitarian services and supplies in more than 20 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. This includes at least 13 million children and adolescents who have benefited from services, ranging from improving access to formal and non-formal education, school supplies, and recreational activities. In addition, more than 1.6 million people received water, sanitation and hygiene services, and more than 400,000 children, adolescents and women accessed health services with the support of UNICEF.
#####
Notes to editors:
Additional resources and multimedia materials are available here: https://weshare.unicef.org/Package/2AMZIFZA678V
–
