Humanitarian action not enough to prevent 'extreme horrors' faced by refugees, migrants on land routes to Africa's Mediterranean coast

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - Huge gaps in protection and assistance prevail across the Central Mediterranean route as refugees and migrants continue to face "extreme forms" of violence, human rights violations and exploitation not just at sea, but also on land routes across the African continent towards its Mediterranean coastline, said a report released Friday.

The report, titled "On this journey, no-one cares if you live or die," was released by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC).

The three organizations drew attention to current international action in the report, describing it as "inadequate."

"Specific support as well as access to justice for survivors of various forms of abuse is rarely available anywhere on the routes," the report said, adding that inadequate funding and restrictions on humanitarian access are also hampering support.

"Humanitarian action is not enough," it said.

According to the report, more people are estimated to cross the Sahara Desert than the Mediterranean Sea.

In total, 1,180 people are known to have died while crossing the Sahara Desert in the period from January 2020 to May 2024, it said, but the number is believed to be much higher. During the same period, around 7,115 people on the move were reported to have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean Sea.

These perilous journeys are driven by the worsening situation in both the country of origin and the host country, including the outbreak of new conflicts in the Sahel and Sudan, the devastating impact of climate change and natural disasters on new and protracted crises in the East and Horn of Africa, and the rise of racist and xenophobic attitudes.

The report also identified a concerning trend of refugees and migrants navigating areas with active insurgent groups, militias and criminal elements. These areas are characterized by the high prevalence of human trafficking, forced labor, sexual exploitation and kidnapping for ransom -- risks that are further compounded by the shift in smuggling routes toward more remote areas. This is a matter of grave concern, as it subjects people on the move to heightened vulnerabilities, it said.

A comprehensive list of risks and abuses faced by refugees and migrants includes torture, physical violence, arbitrary detention, death, kidnapping for ransom, sexual violence and exploitation, enslavement, human trafficking, forced labor, organ removal, robbery, arbitrary detention, collective expulsions and refoulement, according to the report.

The UNHCR, IOM and MMC called "for concrete, routes-based protection responses to save lives and reduce suffering as well as a push to address the root causes of displacement and drivers of irregular movements through positive action on peacebuilding, respect for human rights, governance, inequality, climate change and social cohesion, as well as the creation of safe pathways for migrants and refugees."

"These should span countries of origin, asylum, transit and destination," they added.