Violence Against Children In Conflict Zones Soared To Record Highs: UN Report

Violence against children in multiple conflicts reached “unprecedented levels” last year, according to a United Nations report released on Thursday. The report highlights the highest number of violations in Gaza and the West Bank, Congo, Somalia, Nigeria and Haiti. 

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ annual report on Children in Armed Conflict disclosed a “staggering 25 percent surge in grave violations” against children under the age of 18 in 2024 in comparison to the previous year when these incidents rose by 21 percent in 2023, reported AP.  

Guterres asserted that the UN identified 41,370 violations against children, out of which 36,221 were committed in 2024. The remaining 5,149 were committed earlier but were verified last year. The violations entail killing, maiming, recruiting and abducting children, sexual violence against them, attacking schools and hospitals and denying youngsters access to humanitarian aid.

Israeli Forces On Blacklist 

The Israeli Forces were kept on the blacklist for the second time this year with 7,188 verified grave violations by its military, including the killing of 1,259 Palestinian children and injury to 941 others in Gaza. The UN has said that it has a strict criteria and the verification process is still ongoing. Gaza’s Health Ministry has reported much higher figures in comparison to the UN’s report. 

Guterres said he is “appalled by the intensity of grave violations against children in the occupied Palestinian territories and Israel,” and “deeply alarmed” by the increase in violations, especially the high number of children killed by Israeli forces. 

He further asked Israel to follow international law and ensure special protection for children with protection for schools and hospitals, and compliance with the requirement that attacks distinguish between combatants and civilians and avoid excessive harm to civilians. 

The report also kept Hamas in the blacklist. 

The report kept the Russian Armed Forces as part of the list for a third year with the Secretary-General claiming “a sharp increase in grave violations against children in Ukraine. According to the report, the forces are responsible for the verified killing of 94 Ukrainian children, injury to 577 others, and 559 attacks on schools and 303 on hospitals.

The UN reported 4,043 verified grave violations against 3,418 children in Congo, 2,568 violations against 1,992 children in Somalia, 2,436 grave violations against 1,037 children in Nigeria, and 2,269 verified grave violations against 1,373 children in Haiti. The UN reported 4,043 verified grave violations against 3,418 children in Congo, 2,568 violations against 1,992 children in Somalia, 2,436 grave violations against 1,037 children in Nigeria, and 2,269 verified grave violations against 1,373 children in Haiti last year. 

Sexual Violence Against Children

Guterres also drew concern to the spike in sexual violence among children in 2024, especially incidents of gang recruitment and use, sexual violence, abduction and denial of humanitarian aid.

The report showcased a 35 percent increase in sexual violence and stated this number to be vastly underreported. “Girls were abducted for the purpose of recruitment and use, and for sexual slavery,” the U.N. chief said.

According to the report, violations affected 22,495 children in 2024, with armed groups responsible for almost 50 per cent and government forces the main perpetrator of the killing and maiming of children, school attacks and denial of humanitarian access. The report noted a sharp rise in the number of children subjected to multiple violations — from 2,684 in 2023 to 3,137 in 2024.

With AP inputs.