Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Country: Afghanistan, Croatia, Eritrea, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Syrian Arab Republic, World
Overall trends: In the current situation where people are ‘on the move’, ensuring the identification of and support to unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in accordance with their best interests is a particular challenge. In most countries, UASC are reluctant to be identified as such, as this would delay their onward movement. Some UASC state, for the same reason, that they are adults. The ‘top’ nationalities of UASC in Europe are Syrians, Afghans and Eritreans with significant variations between different transit countries. The majority of the UASC are boys between the age of 14 to 17 years, but there has been an increase in the percentage of girls.