Child migrants

Implementing a plan to reduce the massive migration of Central American children to the United States, is a priority of the region for the remainder of the decade.

From October last year until this month, some 66 thousand children, mainly from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, have been arrested trying to cross the border illegally, according to official estimates.

This is almost double the number of child migrants recorded in the same period last year.

Children traveling in search of an uncertain future face numerous hazards, including sexual abuse and even organ trafficking.

Last week, representatives from El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua presented a plan to address the immigration crisis to U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, which during the next five years would be focus on the structural causes of migration especially insecurity, drug trafficking, gangs, poverty and social exclusion.

The project has the support of the Inter-American Development Bank.

As part of this plan, Kerry announced a grant of $10 million by the United States Agency for Development to deal with a drought that threatens to cause famine in the region, especially in Honduras.

Last July, President Barack Obama meanwhile requested authorization to invest $3.7 billion to deal with the immigration crisis, but the proposal remains stuck in Congress.

Kerry has promised to evaluate the Central American initiative as soon as possible.