Ceuta: UNICEF Calls for Urgent Care for Migrant Minors

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Nearly three weeks after the massive influx on July 30, the situation of unaccompanied migrant minors remains concerning in Ceuta. UNICEF warns of the presence of children still left to fend for themselves on the streets and calls for a rapid strengthening of reception, identification, and protection capacities.

Children Still Outside Protection Structures

The migration crisis that affected Ceuta on July 30 continues to have significant effects on child protection systems. According to UNICEF Spain, hundreds of children and adolescents are still moving alone in the city, sometimes in difficult sanitary and hygienic conditions.

The organization estimates that some minors still need to be directed to safe spaces where they could receive accommodation, regular food, and medical follow-up.

Lara Contreras, Director of Impact, Programs, and Partnerships at UNICEF Spain, emphasizes the urgency of locating isolated children and enabling them to quickly access essential services.

Over 2,000 Minors Identified

Spanish authorities are simultaneously continuing search and identification operations. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior reported on August 18 that 2,168 minors had been identified since July 30, which is 270 more than the figure reported five days earlier.

This number highlights the pressure on Ceuta's child protection structures.

For UNICEF, identification is merely the starting point of a broader process. Each child must then undergo an individual assessment to determine their health status, level of vulnerability, specific needs, and the conditions necessary to ensure their protection.

A Specialized Unit to Accelerate Care

To contribute to the emergency response, UNICEF has sent a team to Ceuta to support the establishment of the Multidisciplinary Unit for the Care of Migrant Children in Emergency Situations (UMAIME).

This unit is intended to better identify unaccompanied minors, register them, and direct them to appropriate locations. It also includes psychosocial support and individualized assessment.

Given the scale of the needs, UNICEF deems it necessary to deploy at least three mobile units. Their objective would be to expedite the handling of situations and facilitate the integration of unaccompanied children into the protection system.

However, the organization insists on a crucial condition: having sufficient staff and material resources to operate the system effectively.

The Urgency of New Accommodations

UNICEF also calls for a rapid increase in the number of available places. Some minors may have remained outside reception structures for several days, even close to twenty days.

This situation exposes them to various dangers, including violence, exploitation, and health issues.

The organization therefore considers the opening of new reception centers an urgent measure to reduce the risks faced by children still without stable solutions.

Approximately 500 Young Girls Concerned by Transfer

The response from Spanish authorities also includes a specific mechanism for young migrant girls.

The Spanish Ministry of Youth and Childhood has announced the preparation of an emergency plan aimed at transferring approximately 500 young girls from Ceuta to the Iberian Peninsula. The most vulnerable should be accommodated in appropriate facilities managed by organizations specialized in child protection.

According to information provided by the ministry, this transfer could be organized without altering their legal guardianship in favor of regional governments responsible for their care.

The Best Interest of the Child at the Center of Decisions

For UNICEF, managing this crisis cannot be reduced to a mere operation of counting or transferring. Each situation must be examined individually to ensure respect for children's rights.

The organization particularly emphasizes that any decision regarding a minor's future, including a possible return to their country of origin, must consider their best interest and personal situation. A collective return cannot replace an individual assessment.

The Ceuta crisis thus highlights a dual challenge: to immediately respond to the needs of hundreds of minors while building a solution for each that meets child protection requirements.