(MENAFN) A survey conducted by a European journalism project unveiled a staggering revelation: more than 50,000 unaccompanied child migrants have gone missing after arriving in Europe. The findings, released on Tuesday by the Lost in Europe project, shed light on the concerning issue of missing children within the continent.
The survey revealed that Italy leads in the number of registered missing unaccompanied minors, with 22,899 cases, followed by Austria with 20,077, Belgium with 2,241, Germany with 2,005, and Switzerland with 1,226. This data, compiled from 13 European countries spanning the years 2021 to 2023, paints a stark picture of the extent of the problem.
However, the actual number of missing children may be even higher, as the report highlights the challenges of unreliable and incomplete data. Moreover, many European countries do not systematically collect data on missing unaccompanied minors, further complicating efforts to address the issue.
The implications of these findings are profound and troubling. Thousands of children have disappeared, their whereabouts unknown, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Aagje Ieven, the head of Missing Children Europe, emphasized the gravity of the issue, stating that the increased number of reports on missing unaccompanied minors serves as a stark reminder of the vast problem lying beneath the surface.
This revelation underscores the critical need for concerted efforts at the national and international levels to address the root causes of child migration and enhance protections for vulnerable children who arrive in Europe unaccompanied. It is imperative that authorities prioritize the safety and well-being of these children and work together to ensure their protection and eventual reunification with their families, if possible.
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