‘20,000 unaccompanied and separated children (UACS) arrived in Europe in 2017’ (Unicef)

However, their journey to, and arrival in Europe is not always what they have been led to believe.

Under the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), IRARA is working with partners in many countries to highlight the risks and educate young people about what they might face if they choose to leave their country of origin and travel illegally to Europe.

The motivations for unaccompanied travel to Europe vary according to the local environment from which people travel, however some common factors are:
Poverty, insecurity, instability, inadequate opportunities for education and employment. Often, they can also be motivated by family and peer expectations.

However, the reality can often look more like this:

  • Abuse
  • Harassment
  • Rights violations
  • Exploitation

Young people are vulnerable.

If you are a young person, considering unaccompanied travel to Europe you should consider the following issues:

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If you are one of the Partner Member States or other institutional authority involved in this specific action, you can access your dedicated microsite here:

Contact IRARA: info@irara.org.

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