14.1 million children will need humanitarian assistance in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2026

PANAMA CITY, 10 December 2025 - Driven by the combined impact of unsafe migration, forced displacement, armed violence and climate-related disasters, an estimated 14.1 million children across Latin America and the Caribbean will need life-saving support in 2026, UNICEF alerted today at the launch of its Humanitarian Action for Children appeal. 

Over the past year, the region has seen a significant decrease in northbound migration, accompanied by a new southbound migration flow. Reports indicate that one in five migrants transiting through Panama on their way to Colombia are children. During their journey, migrant children, especially those who are unaccompanied or separated, face numerous life-threatening risks including drowning, human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. Along the route between Guatemala and Mexico an estimated one in ten migrant children are unaccompanied or separated. 

“Children are leaving their homes, fleeing from armed violence, poverty and other hardships. They face challenges not only crossing borders but also to effectively access quality social services in host and transit countries. Violence not only drives migration but also profoundly disrupts children’s lives across the region, hindering their access to health and education and increasing the risk of child recruitment.” 

 -  Roberto Benes, UNICEF Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Countries across the region are facing unprecedented numbers of internal displacement of people due to armed violence. In Haiti alone, more than half of internally displaced persons are children, with an estimated 748,000 children recorded in the first nine months of 2025. In Colombia, where decades-long armed conflict persists, more than 450 cases of child recruitment by armed groups were documented last year. 

The region is also grappling with multiple high-impact hazards, including floods, droughts and severe storms, which have placed a significant strain on national and local emergency response systems. Most recently, Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm, caused extensive infrastructure damage to schools, hospitals and livelihoods across the Caribbean, affecting more than 900,000 children. 

Amid these regional challenges, Venezuela faces prolonged economic hardship coupled with returns and human mobility has left millions of children facing deprivations in nutrition, health, safe water, and learning. 

“More and more children in Latin America and the Caribbean are burdened by multiple and overlapping crises,” said Roberto Benes. “If we fail to act now, we are not only putting their safety and well-being at risk but also the stability of countries and societies.” 

UNICEF is appealing for US$ 581.3 million to support emergency preparedness and response to ongoing and emerging crises in Latin America and the Caribbean. The funding will provide life-saving services to vulnerable people affected by armed violence and help ensure children and families on the move have access to essential services. 

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Note for editors: 

The five HAC appeals by funding requirements for 2026 in Latin America and the Caribbean are: 

• Children on the Move and those affected by armed violence: US$ 106.2 million to meet the urgent needs of 811,000 people, including 468,000 children, across Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Latin America and the Caribbean: USD$ 53.8 million to strengthen disaster preparedness and emergency response across Latin America and the Caribbean.          
• Colombia: US$ 27.1 million to save lives and meet other critical humanitarian needs of 254,800 people, including 180,240 children.
• Haiti: US$ 256.6 million to deliver life-saving assistance to 1.7 million, including 1.2 million children.
• Venezuela: $137.6 million to reach 2.2 million people, including 1.2 million children.