The United Nations has reported that violence against children reached “unprecedented levels” in 2024, with over 450,000 deaths and millions injured or displaced due to conflicts, exploitation, and systemic abuse, according to a UNICEF report released on Wednesday, June 18. The findings, presented at the UN General Assembly, highlight a global crisis driven by wars, trafficking, and inadequate protection systems, prompting urgent calls for international action.
The report details 165,000 child deaths in conflict zones, including Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan, where airstrikes, shelling, and starvation policies disproportionately affected minors. In Gaza alone, UNICEF estimates 13,000 children were killed in Israeli military operations, with 70% of casualties under 10 years old. Beyond conflict, 280,000 children died from exploitation-related causes, including forced labor and sexual trafficking, with sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia most affected. The report also notes a 30% rise in online abuse, with 1.2 million cases of cyberbullying and grooming reported globally.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell called the figures “a moral failure,” urging governments to strengthen child protection laws and fund humanitarian aid. The report cites Nigeria, where 3.4 million children are at risk of violence due to insurgency, and Haiti, where gang violence displaced 500,000 minors. Critics, including Amnesty International, argue that global powers’ inaction, particularly in vetoing UN resolutions, exacerbates the crisis. The UN has proposed a $9 billion fund for child-focused interventions in 2026, but donor fatigue and geopolitical tensions threaten progress.
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