In its latest report, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has highlighted a distressing surge in “grave violations” committed against children in conflict-ridden regions. According to the report, the conflicts between Israeli and Palestinians, as well as those in Congo and Somalia, have posed the greatest risks to the lives of young individuals. UNICEF expressed particular concern for children in Haiti, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Mozambique, and Ukraine, where Russia’s involvement has prompted its inclusion in the UN blacklist. The term “grave violations” encompasses various atrocities such as the recruitment and use of children as combatants, killings, sexual violence, abductions, and attacks on schools and hospitals.
Omar Abdi, UNICEF’s deputy executive director, conveyed these alarming statistics to the UN Security Council, revealing that over 27,000 grave violations were verified in 2022, marking the highest number since the UN began monitoring in 2005. The report also indicated that there were 26 conflict situations deemed “of concern,” another record high. Since the report’s release, Sudan has plunged into a serious conflict, leading to the displacement of over 1 million children and numerous casualties. Additionally, recent escalations in violence have raised concerns about an increase in the number of affected Palestinian children. UNICEF emphasized that governments and parties involved in these conflicts are failing to fulfill their commitments to protect children, stressing the urgent need for meaningful and decisive action.
While Secretary-General Antonio Guterres included Russian forces in the annual UN blacklist for their violations in Ukraine, he chose not to include Israel despite grave violations against 1,139 Palestinian children, including 54 fatalities. Guterres cited Israel’s acknowledgment of practical measures proposed by the UN to protect children as a factor in this decision. Virginia Gamba, the UN special envoy for children in armed conflict, revealed that the 27,180 grave violations in 2022 targeted 18,890 children. These violations included killings, injuries, recruitment by armed groups, abductions, and various forms of sexual violence. Schools and hospitals also suffered attacks, with a 112% increase from the previous year.
Gamba stressed that although armed groups were responsible for 50% of the grave violations, governments were the primary perpetrators of child killings, maimings, and attacks on educational and medical facilities. She cited numerous distressing examples, such as the gang rape of three girls in South Sudan, a fatal explosion at an Afghan school, the abduction and burning of a 14-year-old girl in Myanmar, and an airstrike in Ukraine resulting in a girl losing her limbs.
The report and subsequent discussions at the UN Security Council highlighted the inadequacy of global efforts to protect children from the devastating impacts of conflicts. The United States expressed a strong commitment to addressing this issue and called for its integration into all aspects of the Security Council’s work. As accusations and counter-accusations were exchanged, with the US blaming Russia for crimes against humanity in Ukraine and Russia accusing Western media of bias, the urgent need to prioritize children’s safety and well-being in conflict zones remained a critical concern.