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UN announces European family support centres for migrants

26 febbraio 2016 | 12.05
LETTURA: 2 minuti

Photo: - AFP
Photo: - AFP

The United Nations refugee agency said on Friday it is setting up 20 special support centres for families along Europe's main migration routes, where women and children make up nearly two-thirds of arrivals.

The first of the so-called 'Blue Dot' hubs are operational or about to open in Greece, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia, UNHCR said.

The hubs are located at border crossings, registration sites, in strategic towns and cities and there will also be mobile centres that can travel as needed, said UNHCR, which is creating the centres together with the UN children's programme UNICEF.

All 20 support centres will be operational within the next three months and various organisations, including national Red Cross Societies and NGOs will provide services to a uniform standard at the sites, the UN agency said.

The support centres will "provide a safe space for children and their families, vital services, play, protection and counselling in a single location," said UNHCR.

"The hubs aim to support vulnerable families on the move, especially the many unaccompanied or separated children at risk of sickness, trauma, violence, exploitation and trafficking," UNHCR said.

A special remit of the centres will be to identify and protect children and adolescents travelling alone, and reunite them with their families wherever possible, said UNHCR.

"We are concerned about the welfare of unaccompanied boys and girls on the move and unprotected across Europe, many of whom have experienced war and hardship in making these journeys alone,” said UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner for Protection Volker Turk.

All transit and host countries are obliged to do their utmost to protect young travellers who pretend to be adults to avoid being delayed or detained on their journey, who risk exploitation and sexual violence, UNHCR said

In February, women and children made up nearly 60 percent of sea arrivals compared to 27 per cent in September 2015, according to UNHCR.

Last year, more than 90,000 unaccompanied or separated children registered and applied for asylum or were in care in Europe, mostly in Germany and Sweden.

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