Key facts
- A UN report documented a record 38,558 violations against children in conflict last year.
- Over 24,000 children were affected by these violations, with a third being girls.
- Government forces were identified as the main perpetrators of grave violations for the first time.
- Israeli military and security forces were listed as the top violators with 12,445 recorded violations.
- The report verified 2,668 Palestinian child killings by Israeli forces in Gaza and 55 in the West Bank.
A new United Nations report reveals a record number of violations against children in conflict zones last year, with nearly 25,000 children affected by killings, rape, recruitment, and other abuses. For the first time in the 30 years the UN has monitored such issues, government forces were identified as the primary perpetrators, surpassing armed groups.
The annual report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres blacklists government forces from eight nations and 67 armed groups from 16 countries and territories. The total number of verified violations reached 38,558, marking a fourth consecutive year of increase. Of the affected children, a third were girls, and many experienced multiple violations.
Israeli military and security forces topped the list of violators with 12,445 recorded violations. The UN verified the killing of 2,668 Palestinian children by Israeli forces in Gaza and 55 in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Guterres expressed deep alarm at the rise in violations by Israeli forces and settlers, urging Israel to sign a plan with the UN to end abuses against children.
Other nations with government forces on the blacklist include Congo, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Russia's forces in Ukraine. The report also detailed significant numbers of child killings, injuries, abductions, and instances of rape and sexual violence, with the highest numbers of recruitment and abduction occurring in Congo, Nigeria, Somalia, Haiti, and Colombia.