During this last year, migration has become a central issue not only for the States, with their policies and measures, but also for the civilian world that experiences these changes from the first source. Adults, adolescents, girls and boys traveling with the hope of a better life.
In Chile, for example, the arrival of Haitian families brought with it an awareness of the migratory landscape worldwide. And this also raised doubts: why are they coming? What do they see in our country to stay? Is it a good future for these children and adolescents?
In this context, the Center of Justice and Society of the Pontificia Universidad Católica together with Unicef Chile, World Vision Foundation Y Colunga Foundation, held on Wednesday, December 12, an alliance to carry out the "Exploratory Study of Characterization of Migrant Children and Their Families in the Antofagasta and Metropolitan Regions", an investigation that will attempt to address this reality.
The objective of the study is to explore the state of child immigration in order to characterize children and adolescents in the migration context of Latin America and the Caribbean in Chile and their conditions regarding violation of rights, specific risk factors and their access to the social protection system.
Through an innovative methodology, the idea is to "visualize a reality increasingly present in Chile. Based on administrative and official data will seek to deepen those aspects not visible or official, to delve into the reality of childhood that migrates and its reception by the Chilean State, "says Pablo Carvacho, Deputy Director of Research and Development of the Justice Center and UC Society.
Arturo Celedón, Executive Director of Fundación Colunga, adds that "migration is a phenomenon that has been installed and it is necessary to take into consideration how it affects children. This study will provide evidence and reliable data to social programs and authorities, to generate solutions that respect rights and promote the well-being of children who come to our country. "
"Migrant children are children with double vulnerability. One is their condition of being a boy or girl and besides having an additional condition (if they are not from the country or not having parents who are not from the country), this gives them a risk factor status and we want to understand what their problem is for to be able to share it with civil society, the State ", concludes the director of World Vision Chile, Sandra Contreras.