São Paulo – The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) are opening 20 support Child and Family Protection Support Hubs over the next three months. Presently, there are four such hubs in existence. In a press release, the two United Nations organizations announced that the units will be created “along the most frequently used migration routes in Europe.”
“Twenty Child and Family Protection Support Hubs, known as ‘Blue Dots,’” will “provide a safe space for children and their relatives, vital services, family tracing, protection and counseling in one single location,” the UN agencies said. “The Blue Dot hubs aim to support vulnerable families and individuals on the move, especially the many unaccompanied or separated children at risk of sickness, trauma, violence, exploitation and trafficking.”
Two of the existing Blue Dots are located in the Greek islands of Kos and Lesbos, one in Idomeni, in the Greek-Macedonian border, and a fourth one in Gevgeilja, Macedonia. The new hubs will be located in Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
