Accommodating unaccompanied minors ‘in transit’ differently

Many unaccompanied minors are in our country only temporarily. They would like to travel on to the UK or to other countries in Europe. We call them “unaccompanied minors in transit”. These young people are mainly from Eritrea or Ethiopia. Their legal situations are very diverse.

“Some young people arrive in our country after passing through Libya. Most young people refer to this country as hell. Migrants there are imprisoned in detention centres under inhuman conditions. Later, they pass through Italy and France. Other young people have been in Europe for a while, trying to get to the UK from car parks in Belgium. Still others travel back and forth between Calais and Brussels. In Brussels, they come and get some rest before heading to the coast again,” Jeanne says. “Encounters with the police determine how they perceive other parts of government and what they think about them.” The police are usually the first government agency these young people come into contact with.

If we want to integrate these young people ‘in transit’ sustainably into the existing reception system, it is essential to mobilize and educate police forces about the needs of these young people. This applies more broadly to all services. It is also very important for the police to give them the benefit of the doubt and respect the presumption of minority until an age test is conducted.

These young people are left to themselves. They are not going to report to the authorities and therefore cannot get the protection to which they are entitled as minors. The information they received in their country of origin, during their flight or upon their arrival in Belgium is often contradictory, incomplete or incorrect. “These young people in transit are very anxious and distrustful,” Jeanne knows. “Their anxiety is only increased because they do not have accurate, understandable information. It is essential that we inform these young people correctly about their options and the various steps of the procedures they are in. And that has to be done in a language they can understand.”

These young people are very vulnerable but many sleep on the streets. More than once, they disappear. Not infrequently, they are victims of human trafficking or other illegal practices. “Currently, Fedasil uses vulnerability criteria that determine when a young person can or cannot access the formal reception system outside opening hours (after 3pm). This system needs to be abolished: if a young person, who was initially hesitant to apply, is denied reception, there is a high risk that we will lose his or her trail. We therefore advocate the immediate abolition of vulnerability criteria. Much more attention should be paid to the individual needs of these minors,” Jeanne said.

The Xtra MENA project team of CAW Brabantia – Antenna Caritas International – has been present since 2018 in the places where these young people can be found. The team’s people have a good understanding of the barriers and difficulties the young people face. Based on the knowledge gained, the team provides intensive support and advice on future choices for the young people. In this way, we aim to reduce the number of unsettling disappearances and create more confidence to guide the young people into a formal system.

In XTRA MENA, a 2021 report, the Xtra MENA team already made recommendations on the need for pre-reception. Based on those recommendations, Médecins Sans Frontières organized a pilot project to provide shelter for young people in transit. This gave these young people a chance to reflect on their situation in peace and safety. “As people on the ground, we find that young people are much more open to the information offered and ask questions more easily when their primary needs are met, when they can rest, feel safe and confident,” says Jeanne.

Since May 2023, young people in this situation have been accommodated at the AMRAM and Dubrucq centres during the first three months. Without having to register anywhere. This is an important step forward. But the needs remain significant. The phenomenon of unaccompanied minors in transit is not something temporary. We therefore advocate continuing these projects and expanding the number of initiatives. This will make it possible to be more personal and to invest in high-quality counselling.

The video is only available in french with dutch subtitles.