Over 473 million children live in conflict zones, facing unprecedented risks to safety, health, and education. UNICEF urges action to protect their rights and end their suffering.
Over 473 million children—more than one in six globally—now live in areas affected by conflict, with the world experiencing the highest number of conflicts since World War II, according to UNICEF, an agency of the United Nations providing aid to children worldwide.
Trends in 2024 indicate additional displacement due to the intensification of conflicts, including in Ukraine, Haiti, Lebanon, Myanmar, the State of Palestine, and Sudan.
More children than ever are estimated to be either living in conflict zones or forcibly displaced due to conflict and violence, the agency stated on Saturday and drew the attention to the fact that “a record number of children has being killed and injured or having their rights violated.”
“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,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.
“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 to a child living in places of peace. This must not be the new normal.”
Children account for 30 per cent of the global population, yet on average account for roughly 40 per cent of refugee populations and 49 per cent of internally displaced people. According to a review by UNICEF of the latest available global data, the proportion of children living in areas of conflict has doubled – from about 10 percent in the 1990s to almost 19 percent today.
Conflicts are also having devastating effect on children’s access to critical healthcare children are also missing out on vital vaccinations and are being deprived of other healthcare due to wars. UNICEF said around 40% of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children live in countries affected by conflict, making them vulnerable to disease.
“Children in war zones face a daily struggle for survival that deprives them of a childhood,” said Russell. “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.”
UN agency reiterated a call for all parties to conflicts to end the suffering of children and ensure their rights are upheld in accordance with international humanitarian obligations.
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Escalating gang violence in Haiti has displaced 680,000 children, nearly twice as many as last year, as armed groups seize more territory and basic services collapse, UNICEF warned on Wednesday.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Afghanistan is facing a worsening humanitarian and health crisis in 2025, with millions of returning refugees expected to stretch the country’s already fragile health system.
The United States and Panama have put forward a new draft resolution at the United Nations Security Council, seeking to tackle the growing threat of armed gangs in Haiti and to establish a more sustainable UN-backed security mechanism.
A quarter of the world’s population, 2.1 billion people, still lack access to safely managed drinking water, according to a new WHO and UNICEF report marking World Water Week 2025.
Reports from CNN say the Pentagon has approved the provision of long range Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine after assessing its impact on U.S. stockpiles, while leaving the ultimate decision to President Trump.
Tanzanian police fired tear gas and live rounds on Thursday to disperse protesters in Dar es Salaam and other cities, a day after a disputed election marked by violence and claims of political repression, witnesses said.
Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles at Ukraine's energy infrastructure and other targets, forcing nationwide power restrictions and killing seven people, including a seven-year-old girl, Ukrainian officials said on Thursday.
The U.S. State Department has ordered the departure of all non-emergency personnel and their family members from Mali, citing escalating security risks as al Qaeda-linked insurgents tighten a fuel blockade on the country.
Argentina has boosted security along its border with Brazil following a large-scale police operation against the Comando Vermelho gang in Rio de Janeiro, which has reportedly left more than 100 people dead since it began on Tuesday.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled Serbia’s second-largest city on Saturday, marking one year since a railway station roof collapse killed 16 people, a tragedy that has fuelled public outrage over alleged corruption and lack of accountability.
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Dozens of countries have yet to secure accommodation for their delegations at the COP30 climate summit, just a week before it begins, prompting host nation Brazil to offer free cruise ship cabins to poorer states in a last-minute effort to guarantee their participation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping told South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday that he was ready to deepen cooperation and work together to address shared challenges, while Lee appealed for Beijing’s support in efforts to revive dialogue with nuclear-armed North Korea.
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