Caritas Europa, Caritas Italy and the French Organisations Secours Catholique and Caritas France have again called on Italian and French authorities to address the “still dire situation” in Ventimiglia, where 5,000 Sudanese, Eritrean and Ethiopian migrants, including many pregnant women and children, are stuck at the border with France with no possibility of continuing their journey and no access to any type of services or reception centres. Authorities are urged to “provide for the basic needs of migrants, including those in transit, to guarantee their human dignity and refrain from using arbitrary detention or arrest”. The appeal calls on the Italian and French governments to “agree on a common response to the situation, respecting the fundamental rights of migrants”, and on EU Members States to “guarantee solidarity and responsibility-sharing”. For months Caritas has stressed the need to “prioritise the protection of people rather than borders” and to “open more safe and legal routes to Europe”. Thanks to Bishop Antonio Suetta of Ventimiglia, food, clothes and hygiene kits are now being distributed at the church of St Anthony with the cooperation of many Catholic, Christian and Muslim organisations. It was there that baby Maria Sharifa was born. “She will certainly not be the last as there are several pregnant women living there”, said Caritas.