Since 2021, IRC Italy has been active in the city of Trieste, located on the border between Italy and Slovenia, providing daily support to people arriving along the Balkan route. Every day, from morning until evening, a mobile unit composed of multilingual outreach workers support dozens of newly arrived people in need, mainly in the area around the Central Railway Station and the daytime center on Via Udine. 

The mobile unit provides socio-legal orientation, information on rights and obligations, and support in accessing basic services, including shelters, food distribution, and healthcare, as well as asylum procedures and reception pathways. In addition, it identifies individuals with specific needs (such as injured or ill persons, unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, etc.) in order to promptly activate protection measures in coordination with the network of local actors. 

At the same time, IRC Italy carries out systematic quantitative and qualitative data collection on all individuals encountered during outreach activities. This evidence forms the basis of the reports presented below, which provide an updated analysis of migration flows, needs, and the main challenges identified in the area. The reports also represent a key advocacy tool, aimed at contributing—through data and evidence—to improving the management of migration at the eastern border. 

Monthly Snapshots 

Monthly quantitative summaries presenting data on the number of people encountered, nationalities, gender, demographic profiles, and migration intentions of newly arrived migrants from the Balkan route, met by IRC Italy and Diaconia Valdese during daily outreach and socio-legal information activities in the area around Trieste Central Railway Station. 

2026
  • Marzo 2026 – Monitoraggio nuovi arrivi a Trieste [PDF] 
  • Febbraio 2026 – Monitoraggio nuovi arrivi a Trieste [PDF] 
  • Gennaio 2026 – Monitoraggio nuovi arrivi a Trieste [PDF] 
2025
2024

Quarterly reports 

Quarterly reports consolidate data on arrivals along the Balkan route and providing an analysis of the main protection concerns, the needs of the people encountered, and the barriers to accessing rights and services, with a focus on asylum, reception systems, first-support services, and the evolving local context in Trieste. 

Annual reports 

Annual reports provide an overview of the entire year on the profiles and needs of people arriving in Trieste along the Balkan route, highlighting the main trends and key findings and including a statistical analysis of the data collected, also in comparison with previous years and other sources. They also include an analysis of protection concerns, the needs of the people encountered, and the barriers to accessing rights and services, with a focus on asylum, reception systems, first-support services, and the evolving local context in Trieste. 

Local advocacy reports