LONDON — At least 4,000 children have died while migrating in search of safety since 2014, nearly half from drowning, according to a new analysis by Save the Children, which warned Thursday that cuts to international aid could further increase the risks faced by child migrants.
The child rights organization analyzed data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), finding that at least 4,044 children died on migration routes worldwide over the past decade. Many of the children were fleeing conflict, hunger, or climate-related disasters, but the true toll is likely far higher, the report said, due to limited data on migrant children.
The deadliest routes for children include the Mediterranean Sea, the Sahara Desert, the Afghanistan-to-Iran migration corridor, and the U.S.-Mexico border. Drowning accounted for nearly half of all recorded deaths, while vehicle crashes and unsafe transport conditions were cited in at least one in every seven cases.
“Migration routes are increasingly becoming graveyards for children,” said Daniela Reale, Save the Children’s lead for migration policy and advocacy. “More than 4,000 children that we know of have lost their lives trying to escape conflict, hunger, climate shocks, and death — in search of hope and a brighter future.”
Reale emphasized that the actual number of child deaths is likely significantly higher. “These fatalities only represent children who have been found, identified and documented as children,” she said. “And that number will only continue to rise as governments continue slashing critical aid that aims to address the root causes of migration before it happens.”
The report comes amid a wave of global cuts to foreign aid budgets. According to Save the Children, at least 40 countries across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East have been impacted by sudden aid reductions in the past year. These cuts are threatening essential services, including health, nutrition, education, and protection programs that help prevent forced displacement and unsafe migration.
Without access to these basic services, the organization warned, more children and their families may feel compelled to embark on life-threatening journeys, often with tragic consequences.
Save the Children is urging world leaders and international donors to increase financial commitments to support vulnerable children and to prioritize long-term investment in child protection, particularly in areas prone to conflict, economic instability, or climate shocks.
The group also called for stronger data collection on migrant children — including information on their health, education, protection, and causes of death — to improve humanitarian response and policy interventions.
The organization said that solutions must now be adapted to a new era of constrained funding, emphasizing innovation, regional coordination, and data-driven approaches.
