UN Reports Rise in Unaccompanied Child Migrants
A new UN report reveals that over two-thirds of refugee children reaching Europe last year travelled alone. These vulnerable minors often faced severe exploitation, violence, and dangerous conditions along migration routes.
More than two-thirds of refugee and migrant children reaching Europe via Mediterranean and Balkan routes last year traveled unaccompanied, up from 51% in 2024. Total child arrivals by land and sea fell 25% over the same period, pointing to shrinking safe migration pathways that push minors into dangerous journeys. The rising proportion of solo child travelers highlights growing exploitation risks as smugglers increasingly prey on vulnerable minors.
