Quite simply, they are not. But here are some reasons as to why there are more men.
Men are often themselves the targets of violence in their countries – where they are faced with either joining radical groups, ‘death gangs’ to kill others, or be killed themselves.There is no choice, so of course they have to flee.

Men have a higher chance of survival. Men are usually physically stronger and better equipped to face the harsh journeys refugees must face. The men are choosing to risk their lives on these dangerous journeys in order to save their families. The male family members will do this to find a safe, stable place where the family can join them and rebuild their lives together.

According to the UN, women and children are at extremely high risk of sexual abuse, violence and exploitation on the route from a war zone to a safe zone. Much more so than men.

In the media, some sympathy is shown for women and children. But men are often overlooked and dehumanised. We need to remember that men also have the right to survive. They’re also human.

The wars and persecution people are fleeing are not black and white. In Syria and Sudan (just for example) there is no one defined enemy which the country is at war with. Civil wars are simply not the same. It is not possible to stay and fight – rather the option is to stay and be killed by any number of warring factions.

As a parent, what would you choose for your son, certain death or the chance of life?
This is not about men fleeing and leaving women behind, counter to what many right-wing politicians would have you believe. This is about trying to get everyone to safety. The men are being incredibly brave, facing deadly journeys on behalf of their families

Most people claim asylum in neighbouring countries to their own. A small percentage continue their journey to Europe and an even smaller amount to the UK.
In the year ending September 2023, when compared with other European countries, the UK received just 8% of the total asylum applicants across the EU+ and UK combined, and was 20th on the list when measured per head of population. (Home Office Immigration stats)

The reasons people seek asylum in the UK are individual, but are often because they have family here or they speak the language. Others view the UK as a place of justice and fairness.

Some people speak of planning to stay in another country, but having received state violence there they realised they were not actually safe.

More recently, the Ukrainian war illustrates the flaws in the argument that refugees should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach. Why should Poland and Moldova host all of the Ukrainian refugees? And why should Ukrainian refugees reach Poland or Moldova and then simply stop there? They would be homeless, sleeping rough or in large camps. There is no future for them there – no work, no proper schooling for their children, no way to rebuild a home. Common sense dictates they would move on. And if a Ukrainian had family in the UK, surely it makes sense that they would join them? Do we really believe the UK should be exempt from offering sanctuary simply because we are an island?

The fact is that refugees are under no legal obligation to stay in the first ‘safe’ country – there is no obligation in the Refugee Convention, either explicit or implicit.

People seeking asylum do not come to the UK to claim benefits. Most know nothing about welfare benefits before they arrive, and had no expectation that they would receive financial support. Almost all people seeking asylum are not allowed to work and are forced to rely on state support—this is as little as £9 a day to live on. It is frankly absurd to suggest someone would risk death for this.

No one is cutting the queue. No one is acting illegally.
There is no such thing as an “illegal” person seeking asylum. Under international law, anyone has the right to apply for asylum in any country that has signed the 1951 Convention and to remain there until the authorities have assessed their claim.

People cross the Channel because there are no safe, alternative routes for them to reach the UK in order to claim asylum.
To claim asylum here, almost everyone needs to physically travel here first. Unfortunately, right now there is no refugee travel visa or humanitarian visa. The safe routes that are available are extremely restricted and do not cover the vast majority. So people are then in the situation that they must cross the Channel to finish their journey, and this usually means a small boat.

Although the UK has welcomed people fleeing conflict in Ukraine, or persecution in Hong Kong, there are many other countries where war and repressive regimes are causing large numbers of people to flee. There are no similar visas for these people. There are no safe routes.

The UK asylum system is strictly controlled and complex. It is very difficult for people seeking asylum to provide the evidence required to be granted protection. Despite these challenges, the majority of asylum claims are successful. In the year ending 2022, 76% of initial decisions resulted in a grant of asylum or other form of protection.

In 2023, 70% of men aged 18-29 seeking asylum in the UK were granted asylum or another legal status. (Migration Observatory)

The fact that the housing, health and education systems have been underfunded, and left to deteriorate by Governments, is a real concern shared by us all.

So we must make sure we put the blame for this in the right place – at the door of Government – not falsely accusing the 0.6% of the UK population who consist of people who came to the country seeking asylum. A tiny 0.6% of the population who are just trying to rebuild their lives.

Right-wing politicians may claim to speak on behalf of the ‘working man’, but the truth is they offer no real solutions for the working class. All they do is offer up the 0.6% as a scapegoat and a distraction to the real issues

We all need to get into the habit of checking our sources.
At the time the Bibby barge was being opened in Dorset, right-wing agitators were whipping up fear and hatred. Soon came local reports of ‘migrant men’ loitering at playgrounds, harassing women etc. People even shared photos online of the men they were accusing. A lot of social media and real life ‘chatter’ came out of this. But this was very interesting, because at the time exactly zero men had been sent to the barge. The barge was yet to receive residents. The stories, photos and all, were completely unfounded.

This is just one example of the many baseless accusations and rumours which are used to spread fear and hatred. We’ve seen the results of this on our streets this summer with far-right riots. We must challenge this fear and mistrust whenever we come across it.
Many people have been groomed by the right-wing to fear refugees – we must show them the reality and humanise our communities whenever we can.