Children
The refugee crisis is a child’s emergency. This is how we help refugee children.
Photo: © UNHCR/Kate Holt
With over 40% of the world’s refugees being children, many will spend their childhoods away from home. Some are even separated from their families. Many have witnessed and experienced violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and more.
But child refugees are incredibly resilient. By learning, playing and exploring their skills, they can find ways to cope, drawing strength from their families and communities.
UNHCR works with governments and partner organizations to help protect and find solutions for displaced children. UNHCR also ensures that unaccompanied or separated children are cared for and have access to the services they need.
Unaccompanied Children
In the conflict and upheaval that forces them to flee their homes, thousands of children lose their parents to violence or become separated from them and endure long journeys on their own. Refugee children are at great risk of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect, including human trafficking and forced recruitment into armed groups. Girls are at a heightened risk of child marriage and sexual exploitation. Due to the mass displacement of unaccompanied and separated children, child protection efforts are becoming extremely strained and resources increasingly scarce.
Try UNHCR Canada’s ‘Children on the Run’ virtual tool to learn more about the experiences of refugee children.
How You Can Help
Child protection services are severely underfunded. Due to financial constraints, the building capacity of UNHCR staff is severely compromised. Under-resourced refugee camps struggle to provide vulnerable children with the necessary support and assistance they need.
UNHCR funding is provided almost entirely by donations from individuals, corporations and governments. These funds are used to provide basic nutrition, as well as, education, shelter and health care to refugee children.
All children deserve to be safe where they live, learn and play.
Donate Today
Protect and support vulnerable refugee children.