« En 2024, the impact of armed conflict on children around the world has reached devastating and possibly unprecedented levels. […] A record number of children are seeing their rights violated and are notably killed or injured, out of school, deprived of vital vaccines or suffering from malnutrition. » In a press release entitled “2024: a tragic year for children caught in armed conflicts, one of the worst in the history of Unicef” and released this Saturday, December 28, the Organization’s agency of the United Nations is alarmed by the situation in which more than 473 million children are plunged. “And these figures are set to continue to increase,” according to Unicef, due to the context of international tensions.
Today, children make up 30% of the world's population, but also around 40% of refugee populations. While the world has never experienced so many armed conflicts since 1946, Unicef urges the international community to “take decisive measures to put an end to the suffering of children”. We note for example that “more than 52 million children living in a country affected by conflict are out of school” or that “40% of unvaccinated or insufficiently vaccinated children live in a country partially or entirely affected by conflict”.
To fully understand these figures, The Point returns with Joe English, spokesperson for Unicef in New York, on this dark year for children's rights.
The Point : In your press release, you describe 2024 as a particularly “tragic” year for children caught in armed conflicts. What makes this year different from previous ones?
Joe English : 2024 has been one of the most brutal years in UNICEF history for children affected by conflict, due to the scale of the crises and the diversity of challenges these children face – for many, almost every aspect of their lives is negatively affected. A record number of 473 million children [soit près de 20 % des enfants dans le monde, NDLR] now live in conflict zones, the highest figure since World War II. This percentage has almost doubled since the 1990s.
In 2023, the UN documented and verified 32,990 grave violations of children's rights, the highest number ever recorded, and this number is expected to increase further in 2024 as conflicts intensify. Furthermore, 47.2 million children were displaced in 2023, a trend that is worsening this year with the escalations of conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti. The cumulative impact on education, health and basic survival puts an entire generation of children at risk, whose childhoods risk being scarred by war.
Where does this figure of 473 million children now living in conflict zones come from? Which regions of the world are hardest hit?
For this overall figure, we relied on data from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The most affected regions include the Middle East (Gaza, State of Palestine, Syria), Sub-Saharan Africa (Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo) and Southeast Asia (Myanmar). Conflicts in Haiti and Ukraine have also increased the vulnerability of children.
These figures illustrate the catastrophic impact of conflict on the lives of millions of children in almost every corner of the world.
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These statistics reveal a worrying prevalence of killings, mutilations, recruitment into armed groups, sexual violence, as well as attacks on schools and hospitals. Thousands of children have been killed or injured, including in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, while others are forced into military service or deprived of education and health care.
The fact that the number of violations continues to increase each year highlights the need for a renewed effort to protect the rights of children and implement international humanitarian law.
With 47.2 million children displaced by conflict, what specific challenges do these children face daily?
Children forced to flee their homes due to violence and conflict face immense challenges every day. The first is simply survival – we have seen too many attacks on IDP camps, where these children often have nowhere to go, and access to basic needs, like food, water drinking water and adequate shelter, remains extremely limited.
We saw this recently with children freezing to death in Gaza. [Une dépêche de l’Agence France-Presse datant de ce jeudi 26 décembre fait état de trois bébés récemment morts à cause du froid, reprenant les dires d’un responsable pédiatrique d’un hôpital de la bande de Gaza, NDLR].
ALSO READ Ten years later, Yazidi women and children still in the hands of DaeshBut it is just as crucial to ensure that children have access to the health and education services to which they are entitled. Millions of children in conflict zones are deprived of education due to destroyed infrastructure or insecurity, leaving them unable to study for years and compromising their future prospects. Psychosocial support is also essential to help these children and their families rebuild their lives, especially for those living in survival mode, deprived of security and opportunities to thrive.
In your press release, you speak of a “silent crisis” affecting the mental health of children. Can you tell us more about this time bomb?
The mental health crisis among children living in conflict zones is profound and often overlooked. Exposure to violence, displacement and loss leads to disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, affecting their ability to learn, trust and develop. In Gaza and Sudan, children grow up amid daily destruction and instability, leaving lasting psychological scars.
ALSO READ In Sudan, a massacre behind closed doorsIf this silent crisis is not addressed, it will have long-term consequences for children's well-being and futures, making investments in psychosocial support and mental health services essential.
Finally, the spectacular increase in sexual violence against children, particularly in Haiti (+1,000% in one year), is extremely worrying. What can we do about this alarming situation?
Sexual violence against children in conflict zones is a horrific violation of their rights, often carried out in the shadows. In Haiti, Sudan, and elsewhere, reports reveal an alarming trend of targeting children at times when they are most vulnerable. To respond to this crisis, urgent and comprehensive action is needed.
Governments must strengthen legal protections and ensure that perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice. Communities can play a crucial role in creating safe spaces and encouraging reporting mechanisms, while increased funding is essential for trauma counseling, medical care and survivor reintegration programs.
At the international level, it is imperative to strengthen advocacy so that armed groups are held accountable under humanitarian law and so that this silent crisis is no longer ignored. A zero-tolerance approach is essential to protect children from these horrific violations.
Faced with this dramatic global situation, what concrete actions do you expect from governments, international institutions and the private sector in 2025 to alleviate the suffering of children caught up in conflicts?
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Kangaroo of the day
Answer
Unicef calls on all stakeholders to act decisively. Governments must prioritize the protection of children by respecting international humanitarian law, increasing funding for education and health care, and allowing humanitarian access.
ALSO READ “Rape is a war strategy” International institutions must strengthen conflict monitoring, advocacy and financial support, while the private sector can contribute resources for mobile education platforms, health infrastructure and mental health interventions. Finally, all parties involved in conflicts must commit to respecting children's rights and ensuring that no child suffers collateral damage.
