UNICEF says 70 illegal migrants died from drowning off Libyan coast
December 24, 2021, 8:37 am

UNICEF says 70 illegal migrants died from drowning off Libyan coast

Representative image-Migrants

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday revealed that at least 70 illegal migrants, including children, have died from drowning and 100 others went missing this week off the Libyan coast.

Lana Wreikat, the UNICEF acting special representative in Libya, said in a statement: "Children continue to lose their lives amid attempts to cross the Central Mediterranean, one of the most dangerous and deadliest migration routes in the world."

Wreikat said in the statement: "Just this week, two children were found dead off Libya's shores and another two are still missing due to three shipwrecks. At least 70 people drowned while another 100 are still missing."

The Xinhua said that the statement called for support to the migrants and refugees and to strengthen search and rescue mechanisms.

It also underscored the need to address the route causes of illegal migration and to support safe migration for children and young people through expanding safe and legal pathways.

The statement said: "UNICEF will continue to work with partners towards finding a safer alternative to sea crossing and long-term solutions for children attempting to cross the sea."

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Libya has been plagued by insecurity and chaos since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, making the North African country a preferred point of departure for illegal migrants who want to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach European shores.

So far in 2021, a total of 31,456 illegal migrants, including women and children, have been rescued and returned to Libya, while hundreds others died and went missing off the Libyan coast on the Central Mediterranean route, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”