The proportion and number of child and young migrants vary by region. In 2020, young migrants accounted for 11.3 per cent of the total migrant population and 2.6 per cent among youth globally ( UN DESA, 2020). The estimated number of young migrants (aged 15 to 24) also rose from 22.1 million in 1990 to 31.7 million in 2020. In 2019, child migrants accounted for 12 per cent of the total migrant population ( UNICEF, 2020 ). In 2020, child migrants (aged 19 years and under) accounted for 14.6 per cent of the total migrant population and 1.6 per cent among children globally. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates based on UN DESA data, but using under 18 years of age as criteria, the number of child migrants remained stable around 24 million between 19, and steadily rose to 27 million in 2010 and 33 million in 2019. Some data sources also have a category for those who are “accompanied-non-accompanied”, which means they are traveling with an adult, but the relationship with the adult is uncertain or defined by child marriage.Īccording to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) data, the estimated number of people aged 19 or under living in a country other than the one where they were born in rose from 29 million in 1990 to 40.9 million in 2020. Data on child migrants may be disaggregated into those who are accompanied, such as those who travel with their family members or guardians, and those who travel alone, either because they are unaccompanied or because they have been separated from their family or guardian during their journey. For instance, in Europe, government policy documents interchangeably use different terminology, including “child”, “minor”, “unaccompanied child”, “unaccompanied minor” and “unaccompanied migrant minor”. Additionally, just as the concepts of “childhood” and “adulthood” vary across cultures, the definitions and categories used by governments which collect information at border entry and exit points and during the asylum process also vary. It is important to note that definitions of childhood have changed over time and often do not match what was historically seen as childhood even within the same country. However, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) defines a child as a “human being below the age of 18.” This definition was used so that the Convention can provide protection and rights to as broad an age-group as possible, but from a data perspective, it leads to an overlap since persons between the ages of 15 and 18 years are counted as both children and youth.
For statistical purposes, the United Nations defines youth as “those persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years, without prejudice to other definitions by Member States.” Based on the UN definition of youth, the assumption would be that only persons under the age of 15 are children.
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