YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS.  Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund urges to Continue search and rescue operations – not only at sea, but also on land, as families move across countries – and make every effort to prevent the abuse and exploitation of migrant and refugee children. “Armenpress” reports that Anthony Lake emphasized in his statement that as the migrant and refugee crisis in Europe deepens, these will not be the last shocking images to ricochet around the world on social media, on our televisions screens and on the front pages of our newspapers.

“Heart-breaking images of children’s bodies washing up on the shores of Europe … lying suffocated in the backs of trucks crossing borders … being passed over barbed wire fences by desperate parents are deeply worrisome”, he mentioned.

The  Executive Director of the UNICEF highlighted also the protection of the children that appeared in that situation by providing them with health care, food, emotional support, and education – and adequate shelter for migrants and refugees that keeps families together.

At least a quarter of those seeking refuge in Europe are children – in the first six months of this year, more than 106,000 children claimed asylum in Europe. War in Syria, which already has forced some 2 million children to flee their country, lies behind so many of the stories of families seeking sanctuary in Europe.