The European Parliament’s 2024 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism was awarded to an investigation conducted by media outlets across several European countries into the disappearance of over 50,000 child migrants. Led by Dutch journalist Geesje van Haren, the Lost in Europe project revealed that nearly 47 migrant children arriving in Europe went missing per day since 2021. Many of these missing children were found to be victims of human trafficking or caught up in the EU’s crackdown on people smuggling gangs. The investigation also highlighted failures in the police system to protect these children, with many ending up in adult detention.
Significant inconsistencies in documentation and reporting were uncovered across 31 countries, including Austria, Germany, and Italy, leading to concerns that the actual number of missing children could be even higher. The research built on findings from an initial investigation in 2021, which identified over 18,000 missing migrant children between 2018 and 2020. NGOs and experts in the field believe that the number of missing children may be much higher than reported, with estimates suggesting that over 51,000 children could be missing. Some countries proved difficult to access data from, with France failing to respond and Spain not differentiating between adults and minors in their data collection.
The Lost in Europe project was initiated following comments made by a former Europol chief of staff in 2016, who stated that over 10,000 migrant minors had disappeared in Europe. The team is planning to launch a fresh investigation in three years’ time to continue shining a light on the issue of missing migrant children. Van Haren expressed hope that the new EU pact on migration and asylum would improve data collection processes, potentially revealing even more missing children in the future. The research emphasized the pressing need for better protection mechanisms for migrant children and highlighted the challenges faced by authorities in investigating cases of human trafficking and people smuggling.
The investigation uncovered the harsh realities faced by migrant children arriving in Europe, with many falling victim to trafficking and exploitation. The team’s findings shed light on the failures of the current systems in place to protect these vulnerable individuals and the urgent need for reform. The project’s recognition by the European Parliament serves as a validation of the importance of investigative journalism in uncovering such critical issues and holding authorities accountable. By continuing their work and advocating for better data collection and protection measures, the Lost in Europe team hopes to make a concrete difference in the lives of migrant children and prevent further disappearances in the future.
