Children have said that one of the things they lack the most while on the move
is access to information that they trust. There is a large group of children on the move in
Europe who fall outside of the protection system and lack access to services, support and
information to remain safe.Often what they do have, however, is a smart phone.
Missing Children Europe wants to use this crucial bit of technology to give children access to
child friendly, up to date and accessible information on their rights, procedures and the
available support wherever they are. The app will empower children to take the right decision
and be better protected, rather than trust those who profit from their vulnerability while on
the move in Europe.The app is specifically tailored to the needs of unaccompanied
children on the move, with a focus on facilitating access to understandable information about
dedicated services such as shelter, food banks, and health services in the area they are in. The
app also connects them easily to the 116 000 missing children hotline and the 116 111 child
helpline, as well as information on the rights of children in the EU and on relevant procedures,
such as procedures for international protection and family reunification.
Upload your support services
Are you a non-profit organization? Join us!While finding a safe
place to belong to, children lack child-friendly and reliable information on their rights.
This too often leads to a situation where the smugglers or traffickers who brought them into
the country will be their most trusted source of information, rather than our authorities,
who are in charge of their protection. In these conditions, children may feel that they have
no other option but to continue their journey in unsafe conditions, and go missing – often
to end up in exploitative situations.To date, no organised platform is known to
be available to provide targeted, child-friendly information to these young newcomers, in
their own language. Our institutions and some organisations are making local efforts to
provide leaflets or other informative materials. However, such practices are not consistent
enough, even within the same country.
They often do not take into account that a specific language is needed when explaining
complicated procedures to children, or that their needs evolve as they move across Europe.
In addition, many children may have reading or understanding difficulties as their education
was disrupted because of the situation in their home country.For these reasons,
the Miniila app has the potential to fill the gaps by being the central point for all
organisations providing information and assistance to children in migration. Next to being a
key tool for children, the app is also an opportunity for you to stay tuned on your
partners’ activities and exchange valuable information and practices.To include
your services in the app, please upload the right information in a content management
system. Contact your national focal point down below.
