The United Nations has raised alarm over a sharp rise in violence against children in conflict zones, reporting that 2024 recorded the highest number of grave violations in nearly three decades. The UN’s annual findings identified the occupied Palestinian territories, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti as the worst-affected regions.
Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, presented the grim data during an open debate at the UN Security Council. She described the situation as a global failure to protect the most vulnerable during times of war.
“It is as if parties to war and conflict, and we, the international community, choose to settle our disputes through military means at an enormous cost for our children, rather than choosing to negotiate peace for the benefit of all children,” Gamba told the Council.
The report highlighted a wide range of abuses, including the killing and maiming of children, recruitment by armed groups, attacks on schools and hospitals, and the denial of humanitarian access. Gamba singled out Gaza as an area of particular concern, describing the suffering of children there as unparalleled.
“The scale of destruction and suffering borne by the children of Gaza defies and contravenes every human standard,” she said. “There is no justification for depriving children of access to food, healthcare, and security.”
Gamba stressed that addressing these violations requires not only political will but also sustained resources. She warned that a reduction in child protection staff and field monitoring capacity could severely hinder the UN’s ability to document violations and hold perpetrators accountable.
“The reduction of child protection expertise will lead to the inability to verify violations and, more importantly, identify perpetrators,” she said, calling on member states to strengthen their commitment to protecting children in conflict.
The findings come at a time when global conflict is on the rise, and humanitarian agencies are stretched thin. The UN has called for renewed international efforts to prioritize the safety and rights of children caught in conflict, warning that failure to act will have long-lasting consequences for generations to come.
