"Save the Children" report - Almost half a billion children are growing up in conflict - and the trend is rising
Around 468 million children worldwide grew up in a conflict region last year. This was announced by the aid organization Save the Children in a new report on Thursday. According to the report, the three most dangerous conflict countries for children in 2022 were the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Myanmar. The figures are likely to rise further due to current events such as the conflicts in the Gaza Strip and Sudan, said Florian Westphal, Managing Director of Save the Children Germany.
Almost 28,000 crimes against children were documented last year, the report continued. This is the highest number since recording began in 2005. 76 crimes against children were documented on average per day in 2022 - 13 percent more than in the previous year. According to Save the Children, children in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, Afghanistan and Yemen were most affected. The most common crimes include killing and maiming.
Children easy prey for armed forces
In Africa, 183 million children were affected by armed conflicts, followed by 145 million children in Asia, 69 million in America, 63 million in the Middle East and no million girls and boys in Europe. In percentage terms, however, the proportion of minors affected by conflict is highest in the Middle East, according to the report. Last year, every third child there lived in a conflict zone.
According to Save the Children, the recruitment of children by armed forces and armed groups increased by 20 percent to 7610 cases in 2022. Last year, 2308 attacks on schools and hospitals were also documented - 74% more than in the previous year.
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In addition to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and Myanmar, conflict zones also include the Gaza Strip and Sudan, putting millions of children at risk. These children in war zones, such as Sudan and Congo, are often easy prey for armed forces. Furthermore, the report highlights an alarming increase in documented crimes against children in conflict zones around the world, including Gaza Strip, reaching the highest number since 2005.
Source: www.stern.de
