The “Invisible Children”: Uncertain Future of Unaccompanied Minor Migrants in Europe

In recent years, all European countries have dealt with increasing number of unaccompanied minors, mainly originating from countries experiencing armed conflict and oppression or abuses of human rights. These separated children are less than 18 years and are outside their home country, apart from their parents or their previous legal or customary primary caregiver.1 These children are to be considered as a very fragile population, since they lack the care and protections of their caregivers, they are alone and suffer from the separation from both their homeland and their family. Moreover, once arrived at destination, or during the journey to reach it, they often disappear. Because of all these reasons, protection measures are essential in order to protect and promote the rights of these children.