The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) confirmed that “between 2005 and 2020, over 266,000 serious violations were committed against children in over 30 conflict situations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America.”

UNICEF stated in the report: “During 2005 and 2020, more than 100,000 children were killed or maimed in armed conflict, recruitment and use of more than 93,000 children, and at least 25,700 children abducted by conflict parties. .” “.

The report concludes: “Aspects of conflict in many countries around the world result in serious violations of children’s rights, including both state and non-state actors”, noting that “between 2016 and 2020, government actors, including national and international forces and the coalition is responsible for at least 26 percent of all violations.”

In comparison, “non-state actors committed about 58 percent of all confirmed violations, highlighting the importance of being involved in all aspects of the conflict in order to purposefully end and prevent violations against children.”

Commenting on the UNICEF report, UNICEF Executive Director Katherine Russell noted that “this report shows in the clearest possible way the world’s failure to protect its children from serious violations in times of armed conflict. This makes it difficult to restore and maintain peace, security and stability.

In a press statement, she stressed “the need to refuse to recognize violations against children as an inevitable result of war”, stressing that “UNICEF and its partners will work without hesitation to prevent serious violations against children.”