Since Unicef launched its campaign to reunite migrant children that have been travelling unaccompanied with their families in the UK, many people have asked the question why have these children have been travelling alone in the first place. Rather unsurprisingly, it is the children who have been making the perilous journey so they can be safe explain why. Often these children simply have no one left. They have lost all their friends and family to violence and they worry they will be next.
Staying is more dangerous than leaving
The civil war raging in Syria is now entering into its sixth year. As the country’s towns and villages are bombed, the simple answer to the question is that it is safer for children affected by conflict to leave. One migrant child said he spoke to his family once a month and they were happy that he left Syria because a small mistake could result in death.
Children are forced to fight in the army and armed groups
Another Syrian refugee says that soldiers come into people’s homes and force them to join the army. More often than not they single out the youngest child and this is completely wrong. As a result, it is no surprise that children are fleeing the conflict so they can avoid forced recruitment.
Families could not leave together
Migration is an expensive proposition and this means that many families simply cannot leave together. Even if they do manage to leave together, often many families become separated. One refugee said he really wishes his family could have left with him but they haven’t been allowed to leave and they cannot afford to pay off smugglers. It is simply too expensive to pay for boats and with seven family members it would cost them £7,000 minimum to flee.
The simple answer
Families simply have no choice in letting their children go alone because it is just not safe for them to stay at home. If these children can make it to Europe they will have family waiting there for them. The problem they face is there is not a legal or safe way for children to escape to Europe. They are forced to make a dangerous journey either over land or by sea and place their lives in the hands of smugglers. Unicef hopes to change this and ensure that unaccompanied migrant children are eventually reunited with their families.
