UN Warns More Unaccompanied Children Are Taking Dangerous Routes to Europe
More than two-thirds of refugee and migrant children who reached Europe through Mediterranean and Balkan routes in 2025 were travelling without a parent or guardian, according to a report by UN agencies. While the overall number of child arrivals fell 25% from 2024, the share travelling alone increased to 67% from 51%.
More than 20,000 of the 31,100 children who arrived in countries including Italy, Spain, Greece, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Malta were recorded as unaccompanied or separated from a parent or guardian. In Italy and Spain, 86% of arriving children were unaccompanied. The report linked these dangerous journeys to poverty, conflict and environmental risks, while warning that limited safe migration routes are pushing more children toward smugglers.
The report also highlighted widespread abuse along migration routes. Interviews with more than 4,600 young people found that nearly half had experienced physical violence, including torture, kidnapping and forced labour. Libya was most frequently identified as a location where abuses occurred, prompting UN agencies to call for stronger cooperation between European countries and nations along migration routes.
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