Millions of children are depending on EU and world leaders at UN summit to commit to concrete actions to address the issues causing children to flee their homes
Aid and development agency World Vision says political inaction must end
While EU Member States stall, more children fall victim to exploitation and violence
September 16, BRUSSELS – For children suffering the effects of adult wars, next week represents the best chance of hope many have had in years.
“The Refugees and Migrants Summit (Sept 19) can and should make a huge difference to children forced to flee their homes because of war, poverty or persecution,” says World Vision’s President Kevin Jenkins, in New York during the summit. “In particular, the 6.6 million people displaced within Syria and the 4.8 million who’ve sought refuge in other countries by often risky and desperate means. The biggest barrier to addressing the root causes of this problem has been the lack of political will.”
Nearly 50 million children around the world have migrated across borders or been forcibly displaced, according to a report released last week by UNICEF. Despite the shocking numbers and an agreement by governments that something must be done, the current system is not working.
“At the moment, we are trying to address an extraordinary problem with yesterday’s solutions – and it’s not working. It’s not helping millions of children living in limbo,” says Jenkins.
Among them is 16-year-old Hussam, a refugee now living in Jordan. His family fled Syria with the help of smugglers when his classroom was bombed during a lesson. “I found my best friend Majid in the rubble. My teacher was also killed. I haven’t been to school for two years.”
The EU Member States must honour funding pledges, provide safe haven for all vulnerable children, wherever they are coming from, and ensure the most basic rights of children in transit are met.
World Vision is particularly concerned about the issue of child detention but also by migration initiatives led by the EU.
“Detention is never in the best interest of the child, even if it happens as a last resort,” says Justin Byworth, World Vision Brussels’ Executive Director. “The EU should be at the forefront of the fight against child detention.”
World Vision is also worried about the impact on children of the EU’s recent moves to manage migration through new EU Partnership Agreements or Compacts with Third countries. This move risks re-orienting Europe’s development programming towards stopping migration.
“On the other hand we have seen strong leadership from countries like Germany, who have welcomed and attempted to integrate refugee children and their families,” says Byworth. “More EU Member States must follow this path and ensure that they meet their resettlement targets.”
“We have seen promises from countries like the UK to support unaccompanied children. We now need to see such pledges honoured, and others to echo them. It is neither fair nor realistic for a small handful of countries – like Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey – to continue shouldering the burden alone.”
“While we’ve been waiting for commitments to be made in this important meeting, children and families have been languishing in refugee camps and temporary settlements. Child labour, early marriage, trafficking, and other forms of exploitation and violence against children have increased significantly.