A/79/213 including child-sensitive approaches to addressing risks and experiences of sexual and gender-based violence. Gender can influence migration drivers, such as delaying early marriage being a driver for some girls, and can also influence children’s agency over decisions to migrate and the nature of the migration pathway. For example, internal migration is more likely for girls, whereas boys are more likely to cross borders, migrate longer distances and be unaccompanied than girls, but girls may not be captured in the data. 105 Some risks and deprivations faced by children in migration settings are distinctly gendered, such as child marriage and child trafficking. Girls account for 27 per cent of detected victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation, while boys account for five per cent; and 12 per cent of detected victims of trafficking for forced labour are boys, whereas five per cent are girls. 106 40. The Convention on the Rights of the Child includes recognition of birth registration as central to a child’s right to a nationality, identity and the prevention of statelessness. 107 This is reiterated in the Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (art. 29) in relation to the right of children of migrant workers to a name, birth registration and a nationality. A lack of birth registration and identity documentation frequently leads to unsafe migration and lack of or limited access to rights and basic services, and is a significant risk factor for statelessness. 41. A child’s stateless status can stem from their parents’ statelessness and be due to discrimination against particular groups; gaps in – or conflicts of – nationality laws; emergence of new States and changes in borders; and loss or deprivation of nationality. 108 The Security Council has recognized that gender discrimination in nationality laws preventing women from conferring nationality to children exacerbates risks to displaced women and children. 109 42. Children are more at risk of going missing on migratory routes. Between 2014 and 2019, nearly 1,600 children were reported dead or missing, although many more go unrecorded. 110 The General Assembly has expressed concern about the number of migrants in a vulnerable situation when crossing or attempting to cross international borders, especially women and children, and stressed the need for coordinated international efforts to assist and protect migrants in vulnerable situations. 111 F. Inclusion and integration of migrant children 43. Many children in migration contexts face barriers in law and practice to accessing national systems and services that would otherwise support their rights to protection, mental and physical health, education, social security and an adequate standard of living, as well as their rights to play and recreational activities, enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. 112 Investment in strong national child protection, education, health and social protection systems that are inclusive of all children and families regardless of migration status is central to protecting children from violence, abuse and exploitation, poor mental and physical health and dropping out of school. It can also prevent families in situations of poverty and insecurity from __________________ 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 16/24 Ibid. Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022. Convention on the Rights of the Child, arts. 7–8. UNHCR, #IBelong Campaign (2024). UNHCR and UNICEF, “Gender discrimination and childhood statelessness”; and S/2014/693, para. 42. IOM, Fatal Journeys Volume 4: Missing Migrant Children (2019). A/HRC/54/81, para. 13. Convention on the Rights of the Child, arts. 19, 24, 26–28 and 31. 24-13410

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