Over 30,000 Children Traveled Through the Dangerous Darién Gap Since January

migrant children — Esther, an haitian mother of two children, arrives in pirogue to Lajas Blancas Migrant Temporary Reception Center, after crossing the Darien jungle with her husband.. UNICEF/UN0854849/Jose Daniel Urdaneta

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed trend data this week showing this will likely be the fifth year in a row of record high migration of children through the treacherous Darién Gap.

The Darien Gap is a 160 kilometer (100 miles) long jungle region which connects Colombia’s Chocó Department in South America to southern Panama’s Darién Province, in Central America.

On the Colombia side, the Atrato River delta marshland is the first place migrants fleeing their homelands either because of local suffering for multiple reasons or in the hopes of finding a better life northwards, sometimes with a vision of traveling all the way to the United States. Soon that marshland transforms into some of the most rugged terrain in the Americas, in a rainforest filled with many hills and mountains, with some peaks rising to as high as 1,845 meters (6,053 feet).

The Darién Gap is the only “land bridge” which connects South America to Panama.

The indigenous Embera-Wounaan and Guna tribes are the main inhabitants of this jungle passage region.

There is no road to follow for those coming northwards through the gap, and no protection from either nature or gangs who prey on those who lose their way, are hurt, or hungry. Those who make it through have a high risk of losing everything they carry with them from thieves, and from rape, sexual abuse, and human trafficking from other predators.

Yet despite the high risk to their lives by taking this path, the number of those making this journey is already up substantially compared to a year ago.

According to the latest information made available by UNICEF, 30,000 children have already found their way through the jungle region, with unknown numbers lost on the way through. Of those 30,000, roughly 2,000 traveled without parents or adult guardians.

UNICEF also reported that the percentage of children making the trek had increased at a rate five times faster than for adults.

The UN agency went on to project that, based on current trends, there may be as many as 160,000 children who make their way north this way by the time 2024 is over. The agency estimates the total number of people migrating through the Gap will probably exceed 800,000 by year-end.

This works out to one out of every five travelers through the passage being children.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban expressed deep concern for the plight of the youths who find their way through these jungles, risking their health, safety, and lives in the process.

“The Darién Gap is no place for children. Many children have died on this arduous, dangerous journey. Women have given birth while en route, bringing new life into the world in the most challenging of circumstances. Many of those who survive the journey arrive sick, hungry, and dehydrated, often with wounds or infections and in desperate need of support.”

Chaiban’s message came along with a call for additional funding so the agency can reach out to better assist those child migrants as the number of those traveling increases throughout the year.