A migrant woman, part of a caravan traveling to the U.S., cools the head of a child after crossing the Suchiate river, a natural border between Guatemala and Mexico, in Ciudad Hidalgo, Mexico Oct. 29, 2018. (Xinhua/REUTERS)
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- An estimated 2,300 children who have arrived in Mexico as part of the migrant caravan toward the United States are still in need of humanitarian support and protection, said the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Thursday.
The children includes both those still traveling with the caravan and those now staying in communities and shelters after leaving the group, said UNICEF.
Additional groups of migrants from Central America, including many families with children, are traveling northward in search of a better life and could also soon need assistance, it noted.
UNICEF, in coordination with civil society organizations and local authorities, has set up drinking-water facilities in areas where members of the caravan are spending the night and has distributed hygiene products.
UNICEF is also working to install separate latrine and shower facilities for children and adults, it said.
A child protection team from UNICEF Mexico, working with civil society partners, will shortly put in place a series of psychosocial support measures aimed at decreasing stress levels among migrant children.
UNICEF is also working with the authorities in Mexico City, other public entities and NGOs to set up a "humanitarian-aid bridge" that will meet the needs of the migrants once they reach the capital, it said.
Those traveling as part of the caravan face considerable danger when traveling through irregular migration routes, particularly the children. It is a long, uncertain journey, which places them at risk of exploitation, violence and abuse, said UNICEF.
The children's fund reiterated its call on all governments to prioritize the best interests of children in the application of immigration laws and procedures, to keep families together, and to find alternatives to immigration detention.
