Boys and girls in the face of asylum bureaucracy

According to the “Uprooted” report published by UNICEF in September 2016, some 50 million boys and girls in the world have been forced to leave their homes (including migrations, internal displacements and refugees). Almost half of the total number of displaced persons are estimated to be minors.

The road to a place considered safe is thick with abuse and violence. But neither is it easy for them when they finally get to their destination.

Frequently it is those young boys and girls who must deal with the extensive bureaucratic formalities required to obtain asylum. Given their schooling and capacity, they find it easier to learn the language of their host country, often making them the sole intermediaries between their families and the Administration or with the organisations providing support. This responsibility –which they shouldn’t have to bear– weighs them down with added and sometimes unbearable pressure.

Film: The Wait