Warning: A new report reveals that EU border rules may be harming migrant children along perilous routes to Europe. Save the Children warns that the bloc’s push to keep asylum seekers in neighbouring countries is not protecting children’s rights, and may even worsen the harm. The study focuses on routes from Sudan to Egypt, Libya, Greece and the Western Balkans and is based on interviews with 66 children, 19 experts and 11 caregivers.
The report notes that the EU is increasing investments in North Africa, including October’s announcement by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of €675 million to finance ‘effective border management’ for 2025-2027. It states that the EU mainly provides equipment for land and sea, border training, and support to border forces and coastguards. Frontex data indicate that the overall number of asylum seekers arriving at Europe’s borders has decreased in recent years; however, Save the Children argues that the one-sided emphasis on border enforcement pushes migration flows underground, leaving protection systems blind to many children in transit.
In Libya, all minors interviewed experienced violence, sexual exploitation, extortion, and long-term detention by armed groups. In Greece, some minors described being prosecuted as traffickers; in the Western Balkans, about one in five asylum seekers experienced violent and, in some cases, illegal, pushbacks by border police. The NGO notes that the decline in arrivals may reflect investments in origin countries such as Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania, but it also means more children are traveling through dangerous routes to reach Europe.
The report calls for reforms to ensure child rights, including safe and legal pathways, independent monitoring, and stronger protection along transit routes. Federica Toscano, Save the Children’s migration expert, said: “The EU invests hundreds of millions in border and migration control without guaranteeing that children’s rights are respected.” The piece concludes that while the EU contends these measures reduce irregular migration, without safeguards vulnerable children remain at risk, underscoring the need for a policy shift that prioritizes protection alongside security.
The report concentrates on routes from Sudan through Egypt, Libya, Greece and the Western Balkans, drawing on 66 child interviews, 19 expert opinions and 11 caregiver insights to show systemic risks that persist despite declining arrival figures. It highlights severe abuses in Libya, challenges faced by minors in Greece, and criticism of pushbacks in the Western Balkans, arguing that billions spent on border enforcement can undermine child protection.
Although Frontex data show fewer asylum seekers arriving, the number of unaccompanied children attempting to reach Europe remains high, prompting calls for safer, legal avenues and independent monitoring. The analysis urges policymakers to balance security with enforceable child rights protections and to rethink the efficacy and ethics of agreements with North African partners that prioritise interception over protection.
