Alone, On the Move and Unseen: Spotlighting the urgent needs of unaccompanied and separated children
International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC) - Eurostat, IOM, OECD, UNHCR and UNICEF
November 2025
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Summary:
The International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC) released a brief highlighting the urgent needs of unaccompanied and separated children found along every migration and displacement route worldwide.
Tens of thousands of children traveling without parents or caregivers have been identified globally, frequently driven from home by conflict, violence, or disasters, yet many remain invisible and uncounted due to data scarcity. The brief, based on a 2025 literature review of over 200 sources, identifies key trends by age, gender, migration status, route and other variables, underscoring heightened risks and vulnerabilities these children face during journeys and after reaching destinations.
Adolescents represent the largest proportion by age where data are available, with 2024 statistics showing a significant majority of unaccompanied child asylum applicants in the EU were male (32,230 total applicants).
The publication calls for urgent global action to close data gaps and strengthen evidence-based policies upholding children's rights, demonstrating through good practices from different contexts how the global community can strategically build responsive statistical systems that protect and empower children on the move.
The brief was developed collaboratively by IDAC members including Eurostat, IOM, OECD, UNHCR, UNICEF, and NGOs and national statistical offices from Greece, Italy and Serbia. The authors emphasize that while producing quality data on unaccompanied and separated children presents challenges, progress is possible with strong political will and coordinated commitments.
Quotes:
"Children who travel alone often face severe deprivations and grave risks – both during their journeys and after reaching their destinations."
"This brief by the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC) calls for urgent global action to close these data gaps and strengthen evidence-based policies that uphold the rights of unaccompanied and separated children."
"While there are a number of challenges involved in producing quality data on unaccompanied and separated children, progress is possible with strong political will and coordinated commitments."
Quotes:
"Children who travel alone often face severe deprivations and grave risks – both during their journeys and after reaching their destinations."
"This brief by the International Data Alliance for Children on the Move (IDAC) calls for urgent global action to close these data gaps and strengthen evidence-based policies that uphold the rights of unaccompanied and separated children."
"While there are a number of challenges involved in producing quality data on unaccompanied and separated children, progress is possible with strong political will and coordinated commitments."
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