The denunciations in the new report launched by Unicef and IOM: the 77% of people traveling the Central Mediterranean route have reported direct experiences of abuse, abuse and practices that could amount to the treatment of human beings. Here are the testimonies of 22,000 people
The denunciations in the new report launched by Unicef and IOM: the 77% of people traveling the Central Mediterranean route have reported direct experiences of abuse, abuse and practices that could amount to the treatment of human beings. Here are the testimonies of 22,000 people
Rome - Children and young refugees and migrants trying to reach Europe face appalling levels of human rights abuse: The 77% of those who travel the Central Mediterranean route for a long time has reported direct experiences of abuse, frustration and practices that could amount to the treatment of human beings. The report "Harrowing Journeys" published today by Unicef and the IOM shows that, while all migrants and refugees run high risks, migrant children and young people are much less exposed to abuse and abuse than adults aged 25 years old: quasi il doppio lungo la rotta del Mediterraneo Orientale (il 17% contro il 10%) e con un tasso del 13% superiore sulla rotta del Mediterraneo Centrale (il 77% contro il 69%).
The report - based on the testimonies of around 22,000 migrants and refugees, including 11,000 children and young people interviewed by the IOM - it also shows that, while all migrant children are exposed to great risks, those who come from sub-Saharan Africa have a much higher probability of receiving fruit and vegetable treatment than people who come from other countries in the world: lungo la rotta del Mediterraneo Orientale, il 65% rispetto al 15% e lungo la rotta del Mediterraneo centrale l'83% rispetto al 56%. Razzism is probably the main factor behind this discrepancy. Children and young people traveling alone or for long periods of time, along with those with low levels of immigration, are among the most vulnerable to abuse by caretakers and criminal gangs during the journey.
Secondo il rapporto, the Central Mediterranean route is particularly dangerousa: the majority of migrants and refugees who have crossed into Libya are still heavily affected by illegal immigrants, the military and criminals. On average, the young people pay between 1,000 and 5,000 dollars for the journey and then arrive in Europe with debts, which exposes them to further risks. Aimamo, a 16-year-old unaccompanied boy from Gambia who was sent to a job in Italy, said that he had been forced for months, once he arrived in Libya, to do strenuous manual labor for those responsible for the work. "If you try to escape, they'll scatter you. If you want to work, they pick you up. Eravamo como degli schiavi. At the end of the day, they throw you in".
"The harsh reality is that it is now common practice for migrant children throughout the Mediterranean to be victims of abuse, trafficking, loss and discrimination," said Afshan Khan, Unicef's Regional Director and Special Coordinator for the Crisis of Refugees and Migrants in Europe - the leaders of the European Union should work on lasting solutions that include safe and legal migratory routes, setting up protection corridors and finding alternatives to the detention of migrant children". "For people who leave their countries in flight from violence, instability and poverty, the factors that spur them to migrate are serious, these people embark on dangerous journeys even though they know they could cost them their dignity, il benessere o anche la vita- ha dichiarato Eugenio Ambrosi, Direttore Regionale dell'Oim per l'Unione Europea, la Norvegia e la Svizzera- Se non verranno istituiti percorsi migratori piu' regolari, altre misure saranno relativamente inefficaci. We must revive a rights-based approach to migration, improve the mechanisms for identifying and protecting the most vulnerable in the migration process, regardless of their legal status".
The report calls on all interested parties - countries of origin, transit and destination, the African Union, the European Union, international and national organizations with the support of the donor community - to give priority to a series of actions. These include establishing regular and safe passages for migrant children; strengthening protection services for migrant and refugee children in their countries of origin, transit and destination; find alternatives to the detention of migrant children; work in confinement to combat abuse and exploitation; combat xenophobia, racism and discrimination against all migrants and refugees. Unicef continues to call on governments to adopt Unicef's Agenda of Six Action Points to protect refugee and migrant children and ensure their well-being: Protect refugee and migrant children, especially those who are not accompanied, from abuse and violence; End the detention of children with refugee or migrant status by introducing a series of alternative practices; Bring families together as the best way to protect children and give them the recognition of a legal status; Allow refugee and migrant children to study and give them access to quality health and other services; Ask for action to be taken on the causes of mass movements of migrants and refugees; Promote measures to combat xenophobia, discrimination and marginalization in the countries of transit and destination. The IOM-Unicef report "Harrowing Journeys - Adventurous journeys - Bambini and young migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea at risk of treatment and suffering" is mainly based on interviews with 22,000 migrants in Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Unicef concluded that 11,000 teenagers (14-17 years old) and young people (18-24 years old) were interviewed.
Source: http://www.redattoresociale.it/Notiziario/Articolo/545956/Migranti-bambini-e-ragazzi-vittime-abusi-sulla-rotta-del-Mediterraneo 12.09.2017