Over 1,000 Ukrainian children without parents in Belgium
Six months after the start of the Russian war of aggression, 1.043 unaccompanied foreign minors from Ukraine have been registered in Belgium with the FPS Justice.
Of the 1.043 children, 111 are younger than ten years, says spokeswoman Sharon Beavis. "The number of reports is decreasing: in March it was still fifteen to twenty per day, now it is a maximum of ten."
The FPS Home Affairs adds that since the conflict broke out, no underage Ukrainian victims of human trafficking have yet been identified in our country. This is partly due to the fact that Ukrainian children are highly documented and often still followed by their parents, who reside elsewhere. However, caution is called for as victims of trafficking are often difficult to recognise and in many cases only come to light later.
In Belgium, 115 of the 1,043 Ukrainian unaccompanied minors have since been assigned a guardian. "Some minors do not need shelter because they can go to someone close to them, family members or friends", says Sharon Beavis. "If they do need shelter, other solutions are available, such as the Red Cross, Caritas or foster care."
© BELGA PHOTO JILL DELSAUX - Ukrainian children during a visit of Flemish minister Somers to the Ukrainian community in Genk, Friday 04 March 2022.