Highlights
Since the beginning of 2016, almost 153,200 people have crossed the Mediterranean to seek safety and protection in Europe. Of them, 143,205 arrived through the Eastern Mediterranean, on Greek shores.
In February 2016, women and children made up 63 per cent of refugees and migrants crossing from Greece into the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, children were 41 per cent.
New border restrictions, implemented along the Western Balkans route have led to dire situations at border points, especially in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece, leaving thousands of children stranded, distressed and at risk of poor health and exposed to abuse.
In February 2016, 36,373 children were able to rest and play in UNICEFsupported child-friendly spaces and child and family support hubs and received psycho-social support in nine locations in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
In February, 2,114 babies and infants, and 2,098 mothers and pregnant women benefitted from infant and young child feeding counselling and emotional and psychosocial support in 6 UNICEF-supported mother-andbaby spaces.
In February, 24,840 children received warm clothes and shoes to be protected from the cold winter weather.
Uncertainty due to fast evolving political situation, as well as border restrictions, are the major operational challenges faced by UNICEF and partners, limiting the provision of services.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
153,158 # of arrivals in Europe by sea in 2016 (UNHCR, 13 March 2016)
143,205 # of arrivals by sea through Greece in 2016 (UNHCR, 13 March 2016)
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Between 1 January and 6 March 2016, 153,158 refugees and migrants arrived in Europe by sea, more than 90 per cent of whom on Greek shores. Despite the slight decrease in sea crossings from Turkey to Greece, the number of arrivals in February 2016 is eight times the number of people registered during the same period last year.
The total number of refugees and migrants transiting through the Western Balkans has dropped significantly since the beginning of the year, not exceeding 400-500 people per day during the first week of March (compared to 1,200 daily arrivals in February and 1,700 in January). Yet the proportion of women and children continued to increase, and has now reached 63 per cent of all refugees and migrants on the move along the Western Balkans route in February and March. Although trains from Croatia to Slovenia were gradually reduced to once every two days, with never more than 350 individuals on board, UNICEF has observed significantly higher numbers of extremely vulnerable people, i.e. with disabilities, elderly and very young children.
New registration policies in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia and Austria during the second half of February led to deterioration of already difficult and stressful conditions, in which children and their families travel. Stricter border control (such as daily limits for asylum applications or temporary border closures), the introduction of single travel documents and denial of access to non-Syrian and non-Iraqi nationals further worsened the situation at border points, especially at Idomeni, Greece, leaving thousands of children stranded, distressed, sleeping in the open and with no access to basic services. Unsure whether they can go forward or be forced back, stranded children are at greater risk of family separation, trafficking and abuse. The situation of children stranded and identified for return in other countries, such as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, is particularly worrying and alarming, as they have little access to services and information, and there is little clarity about how their cases will be processed.