Crimes against children in conflict surge to worst-ever level in 2024 - report
The humanitarian organisation reckons that more than half of these abuses occurred in just four places, the occupied Palestinian territory, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Somalia.
Children are increasingly being killed, maimed, sexually assaulted and abducted in record numbers in conflict zones.
A new report by Save the Children International reveals a steep jump in verified grave violations against children in 2024, pointing towards the world’s failure to protect its most vulnerable amid intensifying wars and insecurity worldwide.
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According to the report, there were an unprecedented 41,763 grave violations against children in conflict during the year, the highest ever recorded.
This marks a 30 per cent increase from 2023, the previous record year, and nearly 70 per cent more than in 2022.
The humanitarian organisation reckons that more than half of these abuses occurred in just four places, the occupied Palestinian territory, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Somalia.
It links the surge to the broader escalation of global conflicts, with 520 million children now living in active conflict zones, representing one in five children globally, the highest figure since World War II.
The report further notes that while the number of children in conflict zones has grown by 60 per cent since 2010, the number of verified grave violations has soared by 373 per cent over the same period.
Amidst this crisis, the organisation questions global spending priorities, pointing out that less than two per cent of global security budgets are allocated to peacebuilding or peacekeeping, even as global military expenditure reaches record highs.
“These damning figures show that global focus on military and state security has failed to protect children from the gravest forms of harm,” the report reads.
Notably, the scale of global violence is stark. The report notes that more than 11 per cent of the earth’s land surface was within 50 kilometres of a conflict event in 2024, the highest ever recorded.
This, with the number of conflict events rising from 24,000 in 2023 to nearly 27,000 in 2024.
Africa is noted to have the highest number and share of children living in conflict zones, with 218 million affected, surpassing the Middle East for the first time since 2007.
“Africa is now the continent with both the highest number and the highest share of children living in conflict zones.”
Save the Children is calling on governments to uphold international humanitarian law, ensure safe humanitarian access, and scale up funding for children in emergencies.
It further urges states to develop national peace strategies, integrate peace education and ensure accountability for violations through stronger global and national mechanisms.
Above all, it stresses that children’s voices must be heard in decisions shaping their futures, a call to humanity to stop the war on children once and for all.
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