UNICEF Calls for Action Against Racism Toward Unaccompanied Migrant Minors in Canary Islands

In a statement received by Bladi.net, UNICEF on Friday, February 5, called for stepped up prevention and the fight against racism and xenophobia following the "worrying stigmatization" suffered by unaccompanied migrant minors in the archipelago, reports EFE.

The UN agency estimates that the number of foreign minors in the protection system has more than quadrupled last year. At the end of January 2020, 2,652 minors had come mainly from Morocco, Mali and Senegal to the Canary Islands, it specified.

The UN institution had wished that Spain launch "effective emergency plans" to quickly and efficiently meet the needs of migrant children at the entry points in Spain. In this context, it proposes advance preparation and the implementation of a technical, residential and budgetary plan to be able to develop it properly when the contingency arises.

It also proposes to adopt a national action plan for the care and integration of these children and adolescents. It will be coordinated by a high-level political body and benefiting from the support and participation of all the ministries concerned and the autonomous communities.