The impact of armed conflicts on children around the world reached devastating and likely record levels in 2024, according to an assessment by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The study, released on Friday, finds that the rights of a record number of children are being violated, including by being killed and injured, missing out of school and life-saving vaccines, and being critically malnourished; the number is only expected to grow.
From Palestine to Myanmar, Haiti to Sudan, the world is experiencing the highest number of conflicts since the World War II. Almost 19 per cent of the world’s children – over 473 million – now live in conflict zones, and 47.2 million have been displaced by conflict and violence.
Thousands of children have been killed and injured in Gaza, and in Ukraine, the UN verified more child casualties during the first 9 months of 2024 than during all of 2023.
There have been widespread reports of rape and sexual violence against women and girls in conflict settings.
In Haiti, so far this year, there has been a 1,000 per cent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children. In situations of armed conflict, children with disabilities also tend to be disproportionately exposed to violence and rights violations.
