Lone kids targeted by crooks
SPECIALIST centres are being set up to prevent child refugees falling into the hands of criminals following reports of some going missing at the Ukrainian border.
Charities have told of cases of trafficking, extortion and exploitation, as more than
2.5 million citizens escape into neighbouring countries.
Increased safety measures are being implemented after claims only “minimal checks” are being performed on drivers offering refugees lifts across Europe.
The UNICEF initiative will see those leaving Ukraine directed to its ‘Blue Dot’ centres so that “unaccompanied and separated” youngsters can be identified.
Chaos
It is working alongside refugee charity UNHCR to ensure those crossing into neighbouring countries are registered so nobody slips through the cracks.
The Blue Dot sites have so far been set up in Romania and Moldova, with more in progress.
UNICEF’S Joe English, who is coordinating the set-up in Poland, said: “Sexual exploitation and abuse, trafficking, abduction… the chaos of people uprooting their lives in a short period of time means it’s easy to prey on children.
“Normally, checks would be made at the border to identify unaccompanied kids but the sheer scale means this hasn’t happened.”
Also assisting at the border are two doctors from British hospitals who drove 1,000 miles to assist wounded Ukrainian troops.
Dennis Ougrin and Roman
Cregg, who are both 46 and from Ukraine, are part of the Ukrainian Medical Association of the UK, which is working to get badlyneeded supplies to the country.
To donate to the medics’ fund, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ Dennis-ougrin3. Help protect children in Ukraine by donating to unicef.uk/ukrainedonate