The global charity has called out the EU for its double standards on how it treats Ukrainian refugee children versus children of other nationalities. Save the Children said Europe's treatment of Ukrainian refugees shows that it's possible to offer all children fleeing violence a safe and legal route to safety.
Refugee children are treated differently in Europe depending on which country they come from, according to a new report from children's rights organization Save the Children.
The charity is calling for the treatment of Ukrainian refugees to be set as the benchmark for a new migration policy.
"While families who have fled the war in Ukraine can legally enter EU states and enjoy comprehensive protection, refugees from other countries experience rejection and violence on their way to the European Union," Save the Children said on Tuesday (February 14) in Berlin at the launch of its "Safe for Some" report.
According to the charity, Ukrainian children "have generally not faced violence, pushbacks, or had to rely on smugglers to flee to safety from the violence in their country."
Drawing on research, interviews with children, and experience across 13 countries in Europe, the charity's report assessed the consequences for children of the different policies the EU and European states are implementing.
Migrants crossing Mediterranean 'will die'
The Ukraine response has also shown that the EU can collaborate to create a system which has prioritized the protection of children, rather than creating barriers to those seeking to enter Europe, Save the Children added.
In comparison, the EU is "accepting that people fleeing via the Mediterranean route will die."
Citing figures from the UN refugee agency UNHCR, the charity said at least 8,000 refugees have died or gone missing since 2019. "This means that one in 50 people who use the Mediterranean route because of the EU's policy of closure will die," Save the Children said.
The charity said children fleeing violence must be offered safe and legal routes to safety, freedom of movement, protection and support to rebuild their lives. "The response to the crisis in Ukraine has shown that this is possible."
Save the Children stressed all European governments, EU Institutions and Member States should provide long-term protection and support to all children who have fled Ukraine; expand good practices in the Ukraine refugee response to all children seeking safety in Europe; and put children's rights at the heart of the Pact on Migration and Asylum.
With KNA