On World Refugee Day, new shipwrecks in the Mediterranean are a reminder of the grave dangers that people confront when forced to flee their countries because of war and persecution.

UNHCR calls for broader regional responsibility sharing responses for disembarkation to be developed urgently.

New measures on both sides of the Central Mediterranean Sea to seriously combat trafficking are needed.

Since the beginning of 2017, one person out of 35 has died on the sea journey from Libya to Italy.

In 2016, NGOs rescued more than 46,000 people in the central Mediterranean, representing over 26 per cent of all rescue operations. This trend continues, reaching 33 per cent since the beginning of the year.

The increasing numbers of passengers on board vessels used by traffickers are the main cause of shipwrecks in the Central Mediterranean, and risks are increased by the worsening quality of vessels and the increasing use of rubber boats instead of wooden ones.

UNHCR and UNICEF welcome the call made by the European Commission to Member States to increase resettlement and other legal pathways for children to safely reach Europe.

UNHCR and UNICEF hope that new EU guidelines will be concrete contribution to the protection of the many children who arrive to Europe after having been forced to flee their homes due to violence, war and conflict.

Physical barriers and restrictive policies in Hungary have resulted in effectively denying access to territory and asylum for those in need of international protection.

Saving lives at sea must remain key priority. UNHCR commends the action of the Italian Coast Guard in coordination with Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.