United Nations warned that 2024 became one of the most devastating years on record for children living in armed conflict zones. According to an assessment released by UNICEF,
United Nations warned that 2024 became one of the most devastating years on record for children living in armed conflict zones.
According to an assessment released by UNICEF, the impact of war reached unprecedented levels, exposing millions of children to violence, forced displacement and the loss of fundamental rights.
The report states that nearly 19% of the world’s children — more than 473 million — now live in conflict-affected areas. At least 47.2 million children have been displaced by violence, reflecting the highest number of simultaneous crises since World War II.
Conflicts in places such as Palestine, Myanmar, Haiti and Sudan account for some of the most severe cases.
UNICEF reported a sharp rise in violations of children’s rights, including deaths, injuries, lack of schooling, missed vaccinations and severe malnutrition. The agency warned that without urgent action, these figures will continue to climb.
Children have increasingly suffered direct violence. Thousands were killed or injured in Gaza, while in Ukraine the UN verified more child casualties in the first nine months of 2024 than in all of 2023. Reports of sexual violence against women and girls also surged across multiple conflict zones.
In Haiti, reports of sexual violence against children increased by 1,000% in 2024. Children with disabilities faced disproportionate risks, as conflicts exposed them to higher levels of abuse and rights violations.
Education has been severely disrupted, with more than 52 million children out of school in conflict-affected countries.
In Gaza and large parts of Sudan, children lost over a year of education, while schools in Ukraine, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were damaged, destroyed or repurposed.
Hunger and malnutrition also worsened dramatically. Conflict-driven disruptions to food systems and humanitarian access pushed more children into extreme food insecurity.
In Sudan, famine was declared in North Darfur, and over 500,000 people across five conflict-affected countries are expected to face catastrophic hunger in 2024.
Health systems came under severe strain, leaving 40% of unvaccinated children in conflict-affected countries vulnerable to preventable diseases. Mental health impacts have also been profound, with millions of children suffering trauma-related conditions.
“From almost every perspective, 2024 was one of the worst years on record for children in conflict,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “This must not become the new normal,” she warned.
