Migrant situation in the EU takes heavy toll on children

Children arriving unaccompanied in the EU were in urgent need of protection, said the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency in a statement in September 2015.

The plight of the many seeking refuge in the EU needs resolving urgently. This applies to children in particular, many of whom are without parental care and are at risk of becoming victims of abuse, exploitation or trafficking,” said FRA interim Director Constantinos Manolopoulos. 'We must ensure that all children, particularly those without parental care, receive international protection and are safe from those who violate their rights and deprive them of their childhood. Ultimately, it should be remembered that children, no matter their status, are children after all and should be treated as such'.

Unicef (United Nations Children's Fund) said in September 2015 that children already made up a quarter of all asylum seekers in Europe so far in 2015. In the first six months of 2015, 106,000 children sought asylum in the EU, mostly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan – an increase of almost 75% since 2014.

• Primary Source

EU Bookshop: Many FRA publications can also be downloaded from the EU Bookshop http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/fra-european-union-agency-for-fundamental-rights-cbYEMKABstGrkAAAEjmYYY4e5K/

Unicef: Press Release, 11.09.15: UNICEF urges European leaders to quickly turn new commitments for refugees and migrants into action for children http://www.unicef.ca/en/press-release/unicef-urges-european-leaders-to-quickly-turn-new-commitments-for-refugees-and-migrant

Unicef: Press Release, 23.09.15: UNICEF response to EU summit on refugee and migrant crisis http://www.unicef.org/media/media_85616.html

Deutsche Welle, 01.10.15: Ateeq, 12, on his way to Germany http://dw.com/p/1GhRP

Deutsche Welle, 01.10.15: Why are so many refugee children traveling alone? http://dw.com/p/1Ggqf

Save the Children: Child Refugee Crisis Appeal http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/about-us/emergencies/child-refugee-crisis-appeal

The Guardian, 10.09.15: 'Now they can stop running': Sweden's sharp rise in child refugees http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/10/sweden-sharp-rise-child-refugees

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

---