UNICEF

UNHCR, UNICEF launch Blue Dot hubs to boost protection for children and families

26/02/201628/02/2016 ENstaff Balkans, children, Europe, families, migrants, refugee crisis, UNHCR, UNICEF

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF are setting up special support centres for children and families along the most frequently used migration routes in Europe.

society

UN agencies call for enhancing safety for refugees and migrants

19/02/2016 ENstaff IOM, migrants, refugeecrisis, UNHCR, UNICEF

UNHCR, IOM and UNICEF say that more than 340 children, many of them babies and toddlers, have drowned in the eastern Mediterranean since September 2015.

On 26 January 2016, a young boy is carrying a large bundle of warm blankets on his shoulders. He is in the Miratovac Refugee Aid Point where, along with his family members, he can access support services and have an opportunity to rest before continuing his journey.

In 2015, more than one million refugees and migrants crossed the Mediterranean, arriving on Europeís shores, of which an estimated 253,700 ñ or one in four ñ were children. Latest trends show that children now make up 36 percent of the migration flow coming through the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Woman and children now make up 57 percent of the refugee and migrants with the majority from Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Children arriving into a harsh winter in southeastern Europe are physically exhausted, scared, distressed and often in need of medical assistance, UNICEF warned.The recent sub-zero temperatures and sometimes snowy conditions is exacerbating the childrenís poor physical condition as many children on the move do not have adequate clothing, or access to age-appropriate nutrition. This has been worsened by the lack of shelter and inadequate heating in some reception centres as well as buses and trains. UNICEF said the issue was pressing as the proportion of children amongst refugees and migrants ñ now more than one in three ñ has continued to increase. According to national sources, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the ratio was 37 per cent in December, compared to 23 per cent in September, while in Serbia, 36 per cent were children in December compared to 27 per cent in September. In December most children transiting through UNICEF child-friendly spaces in Serbia were young children, including babies and infants and those between 5 to 9 years old.

european union society

More children and women seek safety in Europe: UNICEF

03/02/2016 ENstaff children, Europe, FYROM, migrants, refugees, UNICEF, women

For the first time since the start of the refugee and migrant crisis in Europe, there are more children and women on the move than adult males, says UNICEF.

society

UNHCR joins efforts to end suffering in Syria

21/01/2016 ENstaff IOM, OCHA, refugeecrisis, Syria, UNHCR, UNICEF, war, WFP

More than 100 UN and other humanitarian organizations have together issued a powerful joint appeal, urging people to raise their voices and call for an end to the Syria crisis.

society

UNHCR – IOM – UNICEF: “New border restrictions create tension”

21/11/2015 ENstaff IOM, refugee crisis, UNHCR, UNICEF

Restriction measures by States are creating tension at border crossings and a domino effect, leaving in total limbo some refugees and migrants stranded at different border points.

On 24 September 2015, migrants and refugees from countries including Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, as well as regions of the Balkans and Africa arrive by special train in Berlin.

In September 2015, around 600 refugees and migrants arrive daily to be registered and receive legal documentation to remain in Germany. The exodus of people from Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East to Europe is the largest movement of people since World War II. In industrialized countries such as Greece and Germany, UNICEF stands ready to provide assistance requested by governments and has already undertaken a number of assessments to support local authorities facing unprecedented numbers of refugees and migrants. As these assessments are concluded, UNICEF is ready to provide further assistance as required, in line with its expertise.

society

Major spike in number of refugee and migrant children on the move in Europe

16/11/201516/11/2015 ENstaff children, Europe, migrants, Red Cross, refugees, UNHCR, UNICEF

With record numbers of child refugees and migrants – 700 a day seeking asylum in Europe – UNICEF has identified five groups of vulnerable children and is mobilizing tailored actions to meet their needs…

interviews people

Ambassador of Norway:”The challenge for the Greek economy is its competitive edge and its business climate” [interview]

07/06/2016 ENstaff

The Ambassador of Norway in Athens, His Excellency Jørn Eugene Gjelstad, spoke to EmbassyNews.net and commented on the current developments in Greek and European politics, the economy and the refugee crisis.