Report by UN: Child violence in armed conflicts has escalated to "alarming levels"
Child abuse during worldwide armed conflicts has skyrocketed, reaching "severe levels", as per a United Nations report. This includes instances in the Gaza War. The number of significant infractions such as child killings, mutilations, child soldiers, sexual assaults, kidnappings, attacks on educational institutions or hospitals, and denial of aid to children increased by 21% in 2023, according to the report, which was published in New York on Thursday.
These extreme instances have been recorded in territories like Israel, the Palestinian territories (specifically the Gaza Strip), Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Myanmar, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Ukraine, and Sudan. It's probable that there are many unreported cases as well.
The report also confirmed the death of 5,301 children. On average, that equates to approximately 15 children every day. Nearly half of these violations were committed by armed factions, while the other half were conducted by government forces and undetermined assailants, including landmines.
The United Nations Special Envoi for this matter, Virginia Gamba, described the report as a "wake-up call". She proclaimed, "We're forgetting about children." She urged for increased efforts to protect children worldwide. A positive advancement is that over 10,600 children, previously part of armed factions, have received protection and support for rejoining their communities.
This year's report contains details of violence against children in conflicts in Haiti, Niger, Israel, and Palestinian territories. Israel had previously objected to its inclusion. The United Nations has been producing this report annually for approximately 25 years. It does not automatically result in repercussions.
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The escalation of child violence in conflicts, as highlighted in the UN report, extends beyond the Gaza War to countries like Israel, Burkina Faso, and many others. This alarming trend includes various forms of violence such as child killings and sexual assaults, which have increased by 21% according to the report. Furthermore, UN Special Envoy Virginia Gamba stated that this report serves as a "wake-up call" to prioritize protecting children worldwide.
