Children on the Run: Unaccompanied Children Leaving Central America and Mexico and the need for International Protection - Executive Summary

Beginning in October 2011, the U.S. Government recorded a dramatic rise in the number of unaccompanied and separated children arriving to the United States from four countries – El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. This research was conducted to ascertain the connection between the children’s stated reasons, the findings of recent studies on the increasing violence and insecurity in the region, and international protection needs. This document presents the executive summary of the research.