A new United Nations report finds that nearly 25,000 children caught in armed conflicts last year were victims of a record number of serious violations, including killings, rape, abductions, attacks on schools or hospitals, and recruitment of children to fight. The report, issued by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and released this week, relies on UN-verified sources and covers violations against children in situations of armed conflict.
For the first time, the UN says government forces, rather than armed groups, are the main perpetrators. The report’s country- and group-level listing includes government forces from eight nations, alongside 67 armed groups from 16 countries and territories. The findings also indicate the issue is persistent: one source notes the number of confirmed violations is the highest since the UN’s “children and armed conflict” mandate was established in 1996, and that this pattern continues for multiple consecutive years.
While the accounts vary in the exact total cited, all sources describe a record level of abuses and highlight the UN’s shift in attributing primary responsibility to state forces.
