BAMRO

Killed, recruited, abducted
The UN has verified that 18,890 children suffered grave violations during wartime in 2022. Some 8,630 were either killed or maimed; 7,622 were recruited and used in combat, and 3,985 were abducted.

Ms. Gamba said these three violations remained the ones verified at the highest levels, and they all increased last year.

“Children were killed or injured in airstrikes, by explosive weapons, by live ammunition, in crossfire, or in direct attacks. In many cases, they fell victim to explosive remnants of war,” she said.

Rape and sexual slavery
Furthermore, 1,165 children, mainly girls, were raped, gang-raped, forced into marriage or sexual slavery, or sexually assaulted. Some cases were so severe that the victims died.

The senior UN official underlined the need to never forget that these numbers represent actual children whose individual stories are not told.

She cited examples such as the case of three girls in South Sudan who were gang-raped over a five-day period, a 14-year-old girl abducted and burned alive in Myanmar, and boys killed by an improvised explosive device in a school in Afghanistan.

Faces behind the figures
“This is why we must remember that behind the figures are the faces of children suffering from armed violence around the globe. We must do more to prevent and protect our children from the ravages of armed conflict,” she said.

Ms. Gamba also noted that some child victims are punished for their circumstances instead of receiving protection. Last year, 2,496 children were deprived of liberty for their actual or alleged association with parties to conflict.

“Being particularly vulnerable at the hands of authorities, children under detention were exposed to further violations of their rights, including torture and sexual violence. In some cases, they were even sentenced to death,” she said.

Schools and hospitals attacked
The report further revealed verified attacks on 1,163 schools and nearly 650 hospitals in 2022, representing a 112 per cent increase over the previous year. Half of these attacks were carried out by Government forces.

She said the use of schools and hospitals for military purposes also remains a major concern, with a verified “sharp increase” of over 60 per cent in cases last year, both by armed forces and armed groups.

Aid under fire
Meanwhile, humanitarians and the vital aid they provide – often the “only hope” for children and communities affected by conflict – have increasingly come under fire.

The UN verified more than 3,930 incidents of the denial of humanitarian access to children last year. Aid workers were also killed, assaulted and abducted, while humanitarian supplies were looted, and assets and vital infrastructure destroyed.