At least 4,000 children died on migration routes since 2014 as aid cuts threaten to drive up fatalities – Save the Children analysis

LONDON/GENEVA 10 April 2025 – At least 4,000 children have died since 2014 while on the move to seek safety, almost half of them drowning, according to a Save the Children analysis amid concerns that aid cuts will further drive up migration and fatalities. 

Save the Children said an analysis of International Organization for Migration (IOM) data showed at least 4,044 children died between 2014 and the start of 2025 while on migration routes, many  fleeing conflict, hunger and climate shocks. However, the true number is likely to be much higher due to a lack of disaggregated data on child migrants.  

According to the analysis of IOM data, the deadliest routes for children were the Mediterranean Sea, followed by the Sahara Desert, the Afghanistan-to-Iran migration route, and the US-Mexico border crossing. 

Almost half of all recorded child migrant deaths were caused by drowning, while at least one in every seven deaths resulted from vehicle accidents or dangerous transport conditions.  

The child rights organisation said recent cuts to foreign aid are jeopardising health, nutrition, livelihood, and education programmes for millions of children, which could force  more children to undertake deadly journeys in search of safety and also essential resources and support. 

Governments across the world are cutting foreign aid budgets, with about 40 countries impacted across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and the Middle East by the abrupt halt to foreign aid this year. 

Daniela Reale, Save the Children’s Migration Policy & Advocacy Lead, said: 

"Migration routes are increasingly becoming graveyards for children. More than 4,000 children, that we know of, in the past decade have lost their lives trying to escape conflict, hunger, climate shocks, and death in search of hope and a brighter future. 

“This staggering number is just the tip of the iceberg as these fatalities only represent children who have been found, identified and documented as children. The true scale is likely much higher. And that number will only continue to rise as governments continue slashing critical aid that aims at addressing the root causes of migration before it happens. 

“Without access to basic health, food, education, or protection, more children will likely be forced to set sail into treacherous waters and deadly migration routes, hoping to reach safety and their most basic child rights. If more children and their families are pushed to make these life-threatening journeys, more will die.”  

Save the Children is calling on world leaders, partners, and all donors globally to financially invest in children and their futures. While the humanitarian sector will be forever changed by these rapid decisions to cut foreign aid,  it is vital to  continue to address immediate needs but to also  reform the system to deliver effectively for children.

The child rights organisation is also calling on all governments to more rigorously collect data on migrant children, including information on their health, education, protection, and deaths. By addressing this data gap and making the data more widely available, we can better understand the challenges these children face and respond to their needs more effectively.  

Save the Children has for decades implemented effective programmes across the world in countries of origin to address root causes of irregular migration, and to prevent unsafe child migration, while strengthening regional and cross-border child protection systems to protect children at risk of trafficking and exploitation. This includes digital and technological innovation and data-driven approaches.  

ENDS 

Notes to editor: 

• According to an analysis of data collected by the IOM, more than 4,044 child migrants have died while on the move between 2014 and the beginning of 2025. Of those, we know the route for 2,955 deaths, of which, the deadliest routes were: Eastern and Central Mediterranean, Sahara Desert crossing, Afghanistan-to-Iran, and the US-Mexico border crossing. https://missingmigrants.iom.int/downloads?xls=1742838678