Adolescentes del África Occidental: motivaciones y reflexiones del proceso migratorio. Un análisis comparado

Abstract

This article presents the perception of professional experts and adolescents from West Africa on their migration process and their passage through Spain as they head toward Europe. Its objectives are 1) identify the reasons to migrate, 2) analyze family’s influence on decision-making, and 3) point out the factors conditioning the migration process. Qualitative techniques such as a life story, a panel of professional experts, Delphi, and SWOT were used. The results further deepen into the scarcity of the families’ financial resources, the adult status that adolescents originally receive, low income, and low qualification as main motivationsfor migrating. In conclusion, thistype of migration isidentified and built on the same parameters as adults. Different perceptions were found between adolescents and professionals regarding remittances and family influence to migrate. As implications for the practice, it was identified the importance of specializing the protection system professionals who attend the needs of young migrants.