Human rights organizations call for urgent protection for minors arriving in Ceuta: “Ensuring their correct identification is a priority”

Between July 30 and August 4, a migration crisis in Ceuta resulted in 141 confirmed deaths, with 78 bodies recovered in Spanish territory and 63 in Morocco, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras. The situation has prompted high-level government attention, with Minister of Youth and Children Sira Rego scheduled to visit the city on August 7 to oversee the reception of unaccompanied minors currently in the region.

In response to the presence of these minors, the Basque government has publicly advocated for prioritizing family reunification over the redistribution of children among Spanish autonomous communities. Nerea Melgosa, the Basque Minister of Welfare, Youth and Demographic Challenge, stated that the state's primary obligation is to exhaust all administrative avenues to facilitate the return of these minors to their families.