" Around 50 million children all over the world have been uprooted from their homes due to violent conflict with many left their homes in search of better life, read a UNICEF report ."
The report says, as of 2015, a third of the world's population consists of children and the number of child refugees has doubled in the last decade.
The report titled 'Uprooted: The growing crisis for refugee and migrant children' asks the international community to provide protection, education and health services to these children and directs governments to address the root causes contributing to the large-scale movements of refugees and migrants.
Highlights of the UNICEF report:
- 17 million children displaced from their home countries
- The report says there are 10 million child refugees and one million child asylum-seekers all over the world, while another 17 million children are displaced from their home countries because of conflict.
- 45 per cent of the children refugees come from Syria and Afghanistan
- According to the report, 45 per cent of the children refugees come from just two countries-- Syria and Afghanistan.
- 100,000 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum
There are 100,000 unaccompanied minors applying for asylum in 78 countries in 2015, three times the number in 2014. These children are really helpless as they often lack documents, said the report.
"The world hears the stories of child refugees one child at a time and the world is able to bring support to that child, but when we talk about millions it provokes incredible outrage and underscores the need to address the growing problem," said Emily Garin, the report's author.
UNICEF Director of Programs in Geneva, Ted Chaiban said, "What's important is that these children on the move and they should be treated as children."
"They deserve to be protected. They need access to services, such as education," he added.