An association set up a camp on Saturday at Place de la Bastille in Paris for around thirty unaccompanied minors in order to alert to the situation of these young migrants on the street, noted a journalist.

Individual tents lined up next to a barnum, an installation which should remain in place "for an unlimited period", according to a press release from the association for the aid of migrants Utopia 56. to ask for the creation of support and accommodation structures for unaccompanied minors”, explained Pierre Mathurin, coordinator of Utopia 56 Paris.

“A journey of traumatic exile”

Upon their arrival in France, unaccompanied minors must pass an assessment to have their minority recognized.

If they are not recognized as minors, they can appeal to the courts.

"These young people find themselves on the street while waiting for their appeal to be examined by the juvenile court judge when they are vulnerable and often have a traumatic journey of exile", lamented Pierre Mathurin.

The association calls for "recognition and respect for the presumption of minority, the best interests of the child and the right to effective recourse, everywhere in France, until the children's judge decides otherwise".

State "failures"

Around 65% of young people supported by Utopia 56 in Paris were finally recognized as minors in 2021, following an appeal.

In 2021, the association supported more than 500 young people in France.

Last week, the League for Human Rights and around sixty other associations called for "emergency protection" of unaccompanied minors, denouncing the "shortcomings" of the state for their care.

According to an estimate by the Assembly of the departments of France, around 40,000 unaccompanied foreign minors were taken care of in 2020 under Childhood Social Assistance (ASE).

For the year 2019, more than 16,000 minors were entrusted to the ASE by court decision.

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  • Paris

  • Migrants

  • Minor

  • Bastille

  • Association

  • Ile-de-France