The last years have seen a huge increase in unaccompanied minors seeking refuge in the Nordic countries. So far, 2015 has been the peak year, with in particular Sweden, but also Norway, Finland, and Denmark seeing high increases of in-migration of unaccompanied minors.
An unaccompanied minor is a child or young person below the age of 18, who seeks asylum in a country without the company of parents or a legal guardian.
In 2016, the Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues started a project on compiling information and analysing the current situation in the Nordic Region with regards to the receiving unaccompanied minors. Aspects to be covered include:
- How many unaccompanied minors have received asylum in the Nordic Region in recent years?
- Which are the origin countries of the unaccompanied minors who seek refuge in the Nordic countries?
- How are the needs of the unaccompanied minors catered for, including access to schools, medical care and housing?
- As a Nordic sister organisation to the Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues, specialised in the collection and harmonisation of demographic data, as well as in the production of maps, Nordregio was asked to undertake the quantitative part of the project, including visualisations and an analysis of the migration patterns for unaccompanied minors to the Nordic countries in recent years.
The maps produced for the project can be found in our map gallery, with versions both in English and Swedish:
- Unaccompanied minors according to country of origin in 2015
- Unaccompanied minors per 1000 inhabitants 2015
- Unaccompanied minors in 2015
- Unaccompanied minors per 1000 children 2015
The Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues provides more information in Swedish on the project. The project is still in its initial stage, but tables, charts and maps are provided on the global context and where in the Nordic Region unaccompanied minors settle.
For more information on Nordregio’s part of the project, please find contact details below.
