World | Deutsche Welle
· collected 2026-08-19 · by Jan-Philipp Scholz
There are an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 unaccompanied minors living on the streets of Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous city near Morocco, with some living in makeshift tents due to overcrowding at reception facilities. According to local authorities, around 9,000 migrants remain in Ceuta after crossing from Morocco in late July, and many are experiencing difficulties such as lack of access to basic necessities like toilets. The number of reported cases of rape has risen sharply, with police investigating at least 15 suspected cases, although the actual number is believed to be higher. Emergency doctor Susana Ascaso notes that girls under 18 are particularly at risk due to a lack of female migrants and inadequate support from local authorities.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-19,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Some are living on the streets because they cannot find a spot in one of the already overcrowded reception facilities in the enclave.
asserted
they → live → enclave
Amina (not her real name), a 14-year-old Moroccan girl, and her brother were among the 80,000 people who crossed the border into Spain from Morocco in late July.
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who → cross → July
Though most of these have since left Ceuta, some 9,000 remain, according to the local authorities — and many are minors.
uncertain
many → leave → authorities
"
What's worst is that we don't have toilets," said Amina.
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Amina → have → toilets
"We have to go somewhere in the bushes, but I don't dare go alone."
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I → have → bushes
Close by is a Moroccan woman called Malika (also not her real name) who has spread out several blankets for herself and her four children.
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who → call → herself
She told DW she was not making enough as a cleaning lady in Morocco, adding that she earned the equivalent of €7 ($8) per day.
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she → tell → day
"That's just not enough to provide for everyone," she said.
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she → provide → everyone
"School will start again soon, and I don't have any money for books, nor even decent clothes for the children.
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I → start → children
That's why she decided to take part in the mass crossing of the Spanish border last month when she read about it on social media.
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she → decide → media
But now she doesn't know what to do.
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she → know → what
"One child got sick.
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child → get → ?
He had a high fever, but I couldn't get help anywhere," she said.
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she → have → help
In the end, she made compresses with water and vinegar to see if that would help.
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that → make → water
But now she is particularly worried about her 12-and 14-year-old daughters, because the number of sexual assaults has risen sharply in the past week.
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number → rise → week
Police are currently investigating at least 15 suspected cases of rape.
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Police → investigate → rape
The local authorities suspect the actual number of cases to be much higher.
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number → suspect → cases
Conditions particularly difficult for girls
Susana Ascaso, an emergency doctor at Ceuta University Hospital, said she had treated several young girls in recent days.
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she → say → days
"Just yesterday, another 12-year-old came to the emergency room," she said.
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she → come → room
"She said that other migrants had harassed her and touched her inappropriately.
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migrants → say → her
She arrived here completely terrified and in tears.
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She → arrive → tears
She was with a woman who had found her on the street.
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who → find → street
That woman saved the girl."
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woman → save → girl
Ascaso said conditions were particularly difficult for "girls under 18" who were "particularly at risk."
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who → say → risk
She added that there was a major imbalance in the numbers of male and female migrants.
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She → add → migrants
"That doesn't help, of course."
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That → help → course
Several high-ranking politicians in Ceuta have called for more support from the central government in the Spanish capital, Madrid.
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politicians → rank → capital
Nabila Benzina, the regional minister for health and social affairs, told DW that the current crisis was the "worst moment in Ceuta's history" and said more police officers were needed in the enclave.
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officers → tell → enclave
Ceuta's president, Juan Jesus Vivas, spoke of a "high-risk situation," in which it was increasingly difficult to maintain public services.
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it → speak → services
"As far as minors are concerned, we are currently 5,000% over capacity," he said.
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he → concern → capacity
"That means nobody can look after them adequately.
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nobody → mean → them
'I'd like to be an architect one day'
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I → like → ?
The Spanish government has announced plans to transfer unaccompanied minors to the mainland but there is no concrete timeline.
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government → announce → mainland
Several regions, in which the far-right Vox party is part of the government, have said they refuse to take in any migrants.
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they → say → migrants
Vivas told DW that the minors should be "reunited with their families.
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minors → tell → families
Otherwise, the Moroccan social services should assume responsibility for them."
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services → assume → them
He said this was the only solution, adding that Madrid should put the "appropriate legal proceedings" in motion.
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Madrid → say → motion
Many of the minors in Ceuta said they do not want to go back to Morocco or elsewhere in Africa despite the conditions in Ceuta.
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they → say → Ceuta
Ibrahim, a 7-year-old child from Sudan, said he would not give up until he could provide "a better life for his parents back home."
uncertain
he → say → parents
Amina, 14, also said she would not go back to Morocco.
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she → say → Morocco
…and 3 more, not listed.
