European Union migration policies are putting migrant children at greater risk along routes from Sudan to Europe, according to a report by Save the Children published Wednesday.

The study highlights that EU efforts to curb asylum flows by supporting border management in North Africa are inadvertently endangering minors. Countries such as Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, where the EU provides funding, equipment, and training to local authorities, have seen children subjected to severe violence, sexual exploitation, extortion, and long-term detention.

“The EU invests hundreds of millions in border and migration control without guaranteeing that children’s rights are respected, even though it is legally obliged to do so,” said Federica Toscano, Save the Children migration expert. The report emphasizes that these policies have resulted in increasing violations of minors’ rights.

Save the Children’s research is based on interviews with 66 children, 19 experts, and 11 caregivers. Findings show that in Libya, all minors experienced serious abuses, while in Greece, children were sometimes prosecuted as traffickers. In the Western Balkans, one in five asylum-seeking minors reported violent or potentially illegal pushbacks by border authorities.

Although EU border agency Frontex data indicate a decline in overall asylum seekers arriving in Europe, as reported in Euronews; Yet, Save the Children notes that the number of minors attempting the journey remains high. The report warns that the EU’s strict border enforcement is driving migration underground, leaving children more vulnerable to smugglers and making them invisible to protection systems.

In October, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a €675 million package for North African countries to support “effective border management” from 2025 to 2027. However, critics argue that these measures prioritize control over the safety and rights of migrant children.