Children’s rights are being violated in record numbers: they are being subjected to violence, deprived of schooling and life-saving vaccinations and suffering from malnutrition, the report released on Friday said.
The number of children struggling with this challenge is expected to increase. From Myanmar to Palestine and Haiti to Sudan, the world is experiencing its highest number of violent conflicts since World War II.
About 19 percent of the world’s child population, 473 million children, are now forced to live in areas affected by violent conflict. 4.72 crore children have been forcibly displaced from their homes due to violence.
According to the United Nations, thousands of children have been killed and thousands more injured in Gaza and Ukraine. The number of child deaths in the first 9 months of 2024 has already surpassed the total for 2023.
There have been cases of rape and sexual violence against women and girls in areas affected by violent conflict.
In Haiti, there has been a 1,000 percent increase in sexual violence against children so far this year. Children with disabilities are more likely to have their rights violated in areas affected by violent conflict.
Disruption in education, increase in malnutrition
According to one estimate, 52 million children are out of school in countries experiencing violent conflict.
Children’s education has been disrupted for more than a year in the Gaza Strip and Sudan, while schools in Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Syria have been damaged, destroyed or relocated, affecting children’s schooling.
Child malnutrition has reached alarming levels in areas of violent conflict. Due to armed violence and conflict, many areas (hotspots) face hunger and lack sufficient food for needy populations.
The worsening situation has disrupted food systems, displaced populations and hampered humanitarian efforts.
Health care risks
Violent conflict has also affected access to health care services for children. About 40 percent of children outside of vaccination coverage live in countries that are fully or partially affected by conflict.
These children are vulnerable to measles, polio and other diseases because they lack adequate levels of protection, nutrition and health services.
Living in the shadow of armed conflict has also profoundly affected the mental health of children. Children who experience violence, death, destruction, loss of family members suffer from depression, nightmares and difficulty sleeping.
Due to this their behavior changes and they suffer from aggression, sadness, fear, silence and other problems.