Refugee children and asylum seekers in Portugal face several challenges in their integration, such as language barriers, discrimination, lack of educational and vocational opportunities, risk of poverty and social exclusion, UNICEF Portugal warned.
“Welcoming and integrating refugee children and asylum seekers in Portugal is a commitment of solidarity and humanity that we recognize and appreciate,” said UNICEF Portugal Executive Director Beatriz Imperatori regarding World Refugee Day, which is celebrated this Tuesday. ).
“At the same time, it is also a problem that transcends national borders and requires a joint and coordinated response at the international level. Only then can we ensure effective protection of children on the move and their access to fundamental rights.” what they are entitled to,” he underlined.
UNICEF reports that Portugal registered 1,992 applications for international protection in 2022, including 354 children, 83 of whom were unaccompanied, according to Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) data cited by UNICEF.
Most asylum seekers in Portugal come from countries such as Afghanistan, India, Gambia and Pakistan.
Added to this are the 14,111 requests for temporary protection granted by Portugal to children expelled from Ukraine during a year of war.
“It is essential that these children are welcomed with dignity and respect for their rights, that they have access to essential services that enable them to develop their potential and contribute to Portuguese society,” said Imperatori.
Globally, the number of refugee children and asylum seekers has also reached a new record of 17.5 million, not counting recent data from 2023, which includes the conflict in Sudan, which has affected more than 940,000 children so far.
The number of displaced children worldwide will reach 43.3 million by 2022, a new record estimated by UNICEF, which estimates that the war in Ukraine has led to the displacement of more than two million children.
According to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the number of children displaced from their homes has doubled in the past decade, surpassing its capacity to receive and protect refugees and displaced children.
Of the 43.3 million children forcibly displaced at the end of last year, nearly 60% (25.8 million) are internally displaced due to conflict and violence.
Source: DN
