One in Five Children Living in Conflict Zones, Save the Children Warns
One in Five Children Living in Conflict Zones, Save the Children Warns
……………..
One in every five children worldwide lived in areas affected by active warfare last year, as the number of minors exposed to conflict rose to about 520 million in 2024 — the highest figure since records began in 2005, according to Save the Children’s latest report.
The humanitarian organization’s annual Stop the War on Children study, based on data from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) and the United Nations, found that the number of children in conflict zones increased by 47 million compared to 2023, reflecting the growing spread and intensity of global violence.
In 2024, the world recorded 61 state-based armed conflicts — the highest since 1946 — while verified grave violations against children surged by 30 percent to 41,763 cases, marking a new record. These violations include killing and maiming, recruitment by armed groups, abduction, sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.
Over half of the reported abuses were concentrated in four regions: the occupied Palestinian territories (particularly Gaza), the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Somalia. Gaza, under continuous Israeli bombardment since October 2023, accounted for a large share of child deaths and injuries, as well as a significant number of attacks on civilian infrastructure.
In eastern DRC, decades of instability fueled spikes in child recruitment and abductions, while in Nigeria and Somalia, armed groups and criminal networks continued to target minors for kidnapping and exploitation. Africa became the epicenter of child exposure to conflict in 2024, with an estimated 218 million children affected — surpassing the Middle East for the first time since 2007 — amid worsening wars in Sudan, the Sahel, and the Great Lakes region.
Save the Children criticized governments for prioritizing military spending while underfunding humanitarian efforts. “It is scandalous that children continue to bear the brunt of war,” said Florian Westphal, CEO of Save the Children Germany.
The organization called for urgent global action, including enforcing international humanitarian law, halting arms transfers to violators, improving UN accountability mechanisms, and investing in prevention, mental health, and education. It warned that 2025 will test the world’s willingness to protect children and redefine security around their safety and well-being.
