Child alert: Child migration in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Latin America and the Caribbean region is home to one of the world’s largest and most complex child migration crises. ‘The Changing face of Child Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean: A region like no other’ examines the changing dynamics of child migration in the region through the lens of three key migration flows – northern Central…, chilren sitting on the floor reading, How many children are on the move? , Children are migrating through Latin America and the Caribbean in record numbers and now account for a larger share of the migrant population than in any other region in the world. Globally, children make up around 13 per cent of the migrant population, but they account for 25 per cent of people on the move in Latin America and the Caribbean. In…, What’s behind the crisis? , The root causes of migration in the region are highly variable, from socioeconomic factors like widespread poverty, limited livelihood opportunities, structural inequality, food insecurity and barriers to essential services, to a desire among families to secure a more hopeful future for their children. People may also leave their countries to…, Migrant journeys are long and dangerous… , families stepping of a small boat Families arrive at Lajas Blancas in Panama after crossing through the Darien jungle. The physical risks along these irregular routes are innumerable, especially for migrant children. In 2022, at least 92 migrant children died or went missing while moving through the region, more than any other year since 2014.…, …and marked by growing diversity, hand drawn poster A note included in a UNICEF-supported interactive exhibit called "Voices of Migrants" is displayed at the Museum of Tapachula in Mexico. More and more children are on the move of an increasingly young age, often alone and from diverse countries of origin, including as far away as Africa and Asia. The major flows in child…, With some groups particularly vulnerable, While all refugee and migrant children are likely to face limited access to services in transit or upon reaching their destinations, some groups are especially vulnerable, including children with disabilities, children identifying as LGBTQI+ and children from indigenous groups. Multiple studies have shown that indigenous children don’t have…, How is UNICEF responding?, A smiling little girl is getting washed by her mother in a big sink. A mother bathes her child at a migrant reception station in Panama. Regardless of the reasons for leaving their country of origin, or their migratory or legal status, children on the move and their families have rights, including protection and safe access to basic services.…, What is UNICEF calling for?, Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean are simultaneously points of origin, transit, destination and return. This means that an all-of-region, integrated approach will be needed to protect all refugee and migrant children and to alleviate the root causes of irregular and forced migration. mural of the silhuette of a person carrying a…, UNICEF CHILD ALERT September 2023 The Changing Face of Child Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean A region like no other 1 UNICEF CHILD ALERT SEPTEMBER 2023 Cover photo: Panama, 2023 UNICEF/UN0854849/Urdaneta UNICEF CHILD ALERT Contents I. Overview 1 II. Movement patterns 4 III. Root causes 9 IV. Dangerous journeys 15 V. Barriers to…
