Analyzes data on unaccompanied and separated children seeking asylum in 28 industrialized countries. Prepared by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the report notes the exclusion of key asylum countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, France, and Italy, due to incomparability or insufficiency of data, as well as national differences in the legal definition of unaccompanied children and in age determinations. The report provides data and analysis on the number of asylum applications lodged by unaccompanied and separated children between 2001 and 2003, the origin of these children and differences in asylum flows between asylum-seekers in general and unaccompanied and separated children seeking asylum, and the age and gender of asylum-seeking children. Data reveal that unaccompanied and separated children seeking asylum in Europe are predominantly male, between the ages of 16 and 17, and mostly from Afghanistan and Iraq and that unaccompanied and separated children are almost twice as likely to come from Africa as are asylum-seekers in general. Despite improvements in data collection, gaps persist. Harmonization of national definitions of unaccompanied and separated children as well as reporting formats is necessary in order to both comprehend the situation of these children and address their protection needs.
