More than two-thirds of refugee and migrant children arriving in Europe via Mediterranean and Balkan routes in 2025 were unaccompanied, according to a report released Wednesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and UNICEF. While the total number of child arrivals by land and sea declined by 25% compared to 2024, the share of those traveling alone rose sharply to 67%, up from 51% the previous year.

Data showed that over 20,000 of the approximately 31,100 children who reached European countries including Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, and Spain last year were recorded as either unaccompanied or separated from their parents or guardians. The proportion of unaccompanied minors was especially high in Italy and Spain, where 86% of arriving children traveled alone. Italy also experienced a 12% increase in child arrivals, primarily from Egypt, Eritrea, Bangladesh, and Somalia.

The report cited factors such as poverty, conflict, and environmental hazards as key drivers prompting families and children to undertake hazardous sea crossings. It further noted that the reduction of safe migration pathways has pushed many children toward perilous journeys, increasing their vulnerability to exploitation and reliance on smugglers.

Among the findings, the number of children involved in refugee resettlement procedures across Europe fell to 3,400 in 2025 from 8,900 in 2024. Additionally, the number of children relocated between European countries under the Voluntary Solidarity Mechanism—a scheme launched in 2022 to facilitate voluntary redistribution of migrants—dropped by 67% to just 199, none of whom were unaccompanied minors.

IOM Director General Amy Pope emphasized the heightened risks faced by these children, stating that limited safe routes expose them to violence and exploitation. She called for enhanced cooperation between European states and countries along migration routes to dismantle smuggling networks that specifically target minors.

The report also included interviews with more than 4,600 migrants and refugees aged 15 to 24 traveling through Mediterranean, West African Atlantic, and Western Balkan pathways. Nearly half reported experiencing physical violence, often multiple forms, including torture, kidnapping, and forced labor. Libya emerged as the most frequently cited location for such abuses. Approximately 10% of individuals using the Eastern Mediterranean route said they had been deceived by false promises of well-paid jobs, safe passage, or legal travel documents.