The number of migrant children crossing the "Darién cap" on foot towards the United States has reached an all-time high.
Unicef denounces this, recalling that the jungle that separates Colombia and Panama is
one of the most dangerous places for migrants trying to reach North America
.
Nearly 19,000 migrant children have traveled through the Darién so far this year,
nearly three times the number recorded in the previous five years combined
. More than one in five migrants who cross the border between Colombia and Panama is a child. Half of them are
under the age of five
. In this dense tropical forest, migrant families with children are particularly vulnerable to violence, including sexual abuse, trafficking and extortion by criminal gangs. Children crossing the Darién are also at risk of contracting diarrhea, respiratory diseases, dehydration, and other ailments that require immediate attention.
Migrants of over 50 nationalities, including from Africa and South Asia, are using this route to reach the United States.
The
half of the migrants are from Haiti,
many of whom have children born in Chile or Brazil.
UNICEF calls on governments to guarantee the protection of migrant children throughout their journey and to coordinate the launch of a more robust humanitarian response in all the countries involved.
