This advocacy brief is a joint effort by 12 national and international humanitarian agencies responding to the needs of Unaccompanied or Separated Children (UASC) stranded in or on the move throughout the Balkans, specifically Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Serbia, and Croatia. As of March 2017, it is estimated that at least a third of those arriving to the region are children, including UASC.

The information and recommendations outlined in this briefing are based on field observations, daily programming, and regular interactions with UASC. It is hoped that this advocacy briefing will raise awareness on this ongoing but hidden crisis in the Balkan region, and provide concrete recommendations for all relevant stakeholders to measurably improve the response for this vulnerable group.