Pope Leo XIV has called for greater protection and care for migrant and refugee children, warning that young people on migration routes are particularly exposed to violence, exploitation and other dangers.
Speaking at his General Audience in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, the Pope highlighted the upcoming World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be observed on September 27.
He said his thoughts were with migrants and refugees, especially children and teenagers forced to leave their homes. He stressed that minors are among the most vulnerable people on the move and can face violence, torture, exploitation and traumatic experiences, with some losing their lives during their journeys.
The Pope urged people to see the protection of migrant children as a shared responsibility and called for their safety and wellbeing to remain a priority.
This year’s World Day of Migrants and Refugees is being marked under the theme “Even just one of these children.” In his message for the observance, published in August, Pope Leo said children are increasingly being forced from their homes because of war, poverty, violence, environmental disasters and other crises.
He also highlighted the dangers faced by children during migration, including trafficking, sexual violence, forced marriage and recruitment into armed conflicts.
The Pope said these experiences should not be viewed only through statistics, stressing the importance of recognising the individual children behind the numbers.
UNHCR’s Global Trends 2025, published in June 2026, reported that 117.8 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2025 because of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations and the climate crisis.
The total included 41.6 million refugees, 9 million asylum-seekers and 68.7 million people internally displaced by conflict or violence.
Children accounted for about 45 million of those forcibly displaced people. UNHCR also estimated that children made up 39 per cent of refugees, people in refugee-like situations and others in need of international protection.
Pope Leo’s appeal comes as the Catholic Church prepares for the annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees, placing particular attention this year on the protection of children forced to leave their homes.