More than 210,000 unaccompanied minors, who applied for asylum in Europe, have been living in disastrous conditions in refugee camps in the past 5 years. In Moria camp, which was recently destroyed in a fire, around 70% of the inhabitants were unaccompanied minors. They have little or no access to education and health care services and are constantly threantened by human trafficking, sexual abuse, forced labour or organ trafficking.
However, even their accurate number is hard to establish and that many escape due to fear of deportation is a long known fact. This escape is in many cases a desperate move to reunite with family members in other European countries, however on the road many experience sexual abuse and rape. The current European Migration Policy is not preventing the daily aggression and abuse these minors have to face at the border controls and in many countries they have little hope of recieving protection. Even if they do, they often face social rejection in their new home. These traumas cause both mental and physical injuries and many unaccompanied minors loose their trust and faith in other people and in humanity altogether.
Save the Children reported that in the last five years at least 700 children lost their lives at sea when trying to come to Europe.