MUnaccompanied foreign minors (UAMs) are children under the age of 18 who are not Italian or EU citizens and who are in Italy without the care or representation of their parents or other adults who are legally responsible for them. The phenomenon of UAMs in Italy has grown significantly in recent decades, with the majority of minors coming from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

This paper provides an overview of the history of UAMs in Italy, the role of the Committee for Foreign Minors (CMS), and the demographic trends of UAMs in Italy over the past fifteen years.

The paper finds that the presence of UAMs in Italy can be traced back to the 1950s and 1960s, but that the phenomenon became particularly significant in the 1990s. In response to the growing number of UAMs, the Italian government established the CMS in 1994. The CMS is responsible for monitoring solidarity interventions proposed by public and private entities, within international solidarity programmes aimed at UAMs, and for providing information on the presence of UAMs in Italy.

The paper also finds that the demographic trends of UAMs in Italy have fluctuated over the past fifteen years, but that there has been a general upward trend. In the early 2000s, the majority of UAMs came from Eastern Europe and the Balkans. However, in recent years, the majority of UAMs have come from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East.

The paper concludes by discussing the challenges and opportunities associated with the presence of UAMs in Italy. The authors argue that it is important to ensure that UAMs have access to education, healthcare, and other social services. They also argue that it is important to promote social integration and to protect UAMs from exploitation and abuse.