One in 5 children in world living in conflict-affected areas: UN

The percentage of children living in conflict zones has increased twofold from nearly 10 percent in the 1990s to around 19 percent, around the world, as per the Unicef, UN humanitarian aid organisation for children.

Unicef also warned that this substantial surge in harm to children should not become the "new normal."

Unicef reported that the number of conflicts worldwide has reached its highest level since 1945, leaving children increasingly vulnerable. According to its most recent data from 2023, the UN recorded 32,990 grave violations affecting 22,557 children—a record high since the Security Council began monitoring the impact of war on children nearly two decades ago.

After almost 15 months of Israel's war in Gaza, the estimated death toll is over 45,000. The UN said that out of the verified cases, 44 percent were children.

The UN further said that during the first nine months of 2024, then throughout all of 2023, it had verified more child casualties, and forecasted more surge in 2025.

Unicef’s executive director, Catherine Russell said, "By almost every measure, 2024 has been one of the worst years on record for children in conflict in Unicef’s history – both in terms of the number of children affected and the level of impact on their lives."

"A child growing up in a conflict zone is far more likely to be out of school, malnourished, or forced from their home – too often repeatedly – compared with a child living in places of peace,” Russell added.

“This must not be the new normal. We cannot allow a generation of children to become collateral damage to the world’s unchecked wars,” he stated.

Amongst the worldwide reports of sexual violence in conflicts, Unicef draws notice to the plight of women and girls. It said, there had been a 1000 percent increase in sexual violence against children in Haiti throughout 2024 alone.

It further pointed out that by malnutrition in times of war, children were mostly affected, which is especially a fatal menace to Sudan and Gaza.

Conflict severely impacts children's access to healthcare and education. Nearly 40% of children who are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated live in countries affected by conflict, leaving them highly vulnerable to disease outbreaks like measles and polio. In July, polio was detected in Gaza for the first time in 25 years. A UN-led vaccination campaign, conducted during temporary and partial ceasefires, successfully reached over 90% of Gaza's child population.

Unicef revealed that over 52 million children in conflict-affected regions were deprived of education. It noted that most children in the Gaza Strip and a large number in Sudan had missed more than a year of schooling. In other conflict zones, such as Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria, schools have been damaged, destroyed, or repurposed, leaving millions without access to education.

Unicef said, "The impact on children’s mental health is also huge."

A recent study backed by the War Child reported that 96 percent of children in Gaza believed their death was approaching and due to the trauma they had endured, nearly half of them wanted to die.

Russell further said, "Children in war zones face a daily struggle for survival that deprives them of a childhood."

"Their schools are bombed, homes destroyed, and families torn apart. They lose not only their safety and access to basic life-sustaining necessities, but also their chance to play, to learn, and to simply be children. The world is failing these children. As we look towards 2025, we must do more to turn the tide and save and improve the lives of children," he added.