Europe — Migrant and Refugee Children in Europe - Accompanied, Unaccompanied and Separated (January — December 2023)

The Factsheet is an overview of trends in 2023 concerning migrant and refugee children arriving in Europe via mixed migration routes.

The report is produced by UNHCR, UNICEF, and IOM and provides detailed statistics and analysis on accompanied, unaccompanied, and separated children arriving in countries such as Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta.

Key highlights:

• In 2023, 55,700 children arrived in Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus and Malta (23% girls and 77% boys). This is a 58% increase compared to 2022 (35,170)
• 64% of children arrived (35,500) were unaccompanied or separated (UASC). Main countries of origin include Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Guinea, Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire.
• Of all the children who sought international protection in Europe in 2023, some 71% were registered as first- time applicants in just four countries: Germany (39%), France (14%), Spain (11%), and Austria (7%). Among UASC asylum seekers, main nationalities were Syrian Arab Republic (35%), Afghanistan (31%), Somalia (5%) and Türkiye (3%).
• In 2023, IOM continued its support to relocation under existing schemes and under the Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain. A total of 774 children were assisted with voluntary relocation from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain to 10 European countries. This is a 160% increase compared to the 297 children relocated in 2022.