According to the UN children's organization UNICEF latest report, the organization provided direct assistance to over 30,000 refugee and migrant minors in Italy in 2024.
In 2024, approximately 66,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Italy via the central Mediterranean route. UNICEF estimates that two in ten were minors, including around 8,000 unaccompanied children (MSNA).
The central Mediterranean remains one of the most dangerous migration routes, with approximately 1,700 people reported dead or missing last year - many of them minors.
According to the report, UNICEF provided protection services to 24,000 children, including mental health support and gender-based violence prevention programs.
Additionally, 900 adolescents were placed in foster care or supported by mentors, while 7,000 disadvantaged minors -- including migrants and refugees -- benefited from language, digital, and life skills programs.
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The role of digital platforms in outreach
UNICEF also expanded its reach through digital platforms:
- 5,000 unaccompanied minors and young migrants joined the U-Report On The Move platform, contributing to a total of 18,000 active users.
- 700,000 people received messages about prevention and access to essential services.
"UNICEF, alongside its partners, continues to demonstrate that ensuring protection, support, and opportunities for the most vulnerable minors is not only necessary but possible," said Nicola Dell'Arciprete, coordinator of UNICEF’s Italy program.
"It is essential to transform these experiences into concrete models, expanding their application to build a more effective and sustainable reception and inclusion system."