Source: United Nations (video statements)
Last year, 41,370 grave violations against children were documented and verified by the United Nations, according to the Secretary-General’s annual report on children in armed conflict.
Speaking to reporters today (20 Jun), Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba told reporters that the 41,370 verified incidents in 2024 – “is now the highest number of grave violations against children in armed conflict since the inception of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate almost 30 years ago.”
The numbers cover the 25 country situations, and one regional monitoring arrangement included in the children and armed conflict report, she explained.
“Wars and Armed conflict inflicted excruciating levels of violence on children. As conflicts rage across the globe, children around the world are being killed, maimed, starved, or raped,” Gamba said.
She added, “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.”
The Special Representative stressed that behind the numbers of this year’s report are the shattered stories, dreams, and futures of 22,495 children, “each of them profoundly affected by war, displacement, and the collapse of protection systems that should have served as their shield.
Gamba said, “Countries with the highest levels of violations in 2024 were Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, notably the Gaza Strip, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, Nigeria, and Haiti. Most grave violations showed an increase in 2024, including attacks on schools (44 percent), and rape and other forms of sexual violence (35 percent). “
The Special Representative expressed her “deep concern” at the continuous increase in verified incidents of sexual violence against children, as the numbers had already increased by 25 percent between 2022 and 2023.
She said, “Data for some countries is particularly staggering. For instance, in 2024, for Haiti alone, over 550 children were victims of sexual violence, with over 70 per cent of cases involving gang rape. In Nigeria, over 400 children were subjected to sexual violence, including forced marriage. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations verified that over 350 girls were subjected to sexual violence including rape, gang rape and sexual slavery.”
The Special Representative reiterated that children living amidst hostilities are being robbed of their childhood, adding that parties to conflict who, instead of recognizing the special protection afforded to children, are blatantly ignoring international law and show little to no political will.
“The magnitude of the suffering of the children in Gaza defies and contravenes every human standard,” Gamba continued, stressing, “we cannot continue to stand by and watch with no action.”
“There is no justification for depriving children of access to survival means such food, healthcare, and security,” calling Israel to “facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief to civilians in need in the Gaza Strip.”
The Special Representative added, “it is imperative that the armed groups inside Gaza prime humanitarian relief over their political aspirations, including through the immediate release of all Israeli hostages, alive or dead.”
Gamba called on the international community to “recommit to the universal consensus to protect children from armed conflict, and on parties to conflict to immediately end their wars which are fought over the bodies of their own children.”
“All parties to conflict must uphold the core principles of International Humanitarian Law that impose limits on the destruction and suffering caused by armed conflict: humanity, distinction, proportionality and necessity,” the Special Representative concluded.
The report was published on Thursday (19 Jun) and will be presented in a meeting to the security Council next week.