Swoc Report 2023 Web

THE WAR
ON CHILDREN
LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 1
Save the Children exists to help PREVIOUS REPORTS ON THE WAR
every child reach their potential. ON CHILDREN
In 120 countries, we help children
stay safe, healthy and keep learning.
We lead the way on tackling big
problems like pneumonia, hunger
and protecting children in war, while
making sure each child’s unique
needs are cared for. We know we
can’t do this alone. Together with
children, partners, and supporters,
we work to help every child become Stop the war on children – Stop the war on children – a
whoever they want to be.

The forgotten ones, 2022 crisis of recruitment, 2021
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report was written by Alvhild Strømme,
Liz Bradshaw and Emma Forster with support
from James Denselow, Gunvor Knag Fylkesnes
and Mads Harlem, as well as other colleagues
across the Save the Children movement who
provided expert comments and review.
Weapon of War: Sexual Stop the war on children –
We would like to thank the research team from violence against children in killed and maimed, 2020
conflict, 2021
the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) for
their background reports and analysis: Gudrun
Østby, Siri Aas Rustad and Kristine Helskog.
Names of children portrayed in case studies

have been changed to protect their identities.
© Save the Children 2023 Eglantyne Jebb said

‘The only international language
in the world is a child’s cry.’
We have heard that cry
and it will not go unanswered.
The war on children must stop.
2020:
Gender
Cover page design: Afarin Alsharif matters STOP
THE WAR
stopwaronchildren.org
ON CHILDREN
Design: Anna Maria Pirolt PROTECTING CHILDREN
IN 21ST CENTURY CONFLICT
Copy-editor: Ravi Wickremasinghe Stop the war on children – Stop the war on children –
gender matters, 2020 protecting children in
21st century conflict, 2019
This publication is copyrighted, but may be
reproduced by any method without fee or prior
permission for teaching purposes, but not for
resale. For copying in any other circumstances,
prior written permission must be obtained from
the publisher, and a fee may be payable.
Want to explore the data we make use of here in

more detail? Check out:
data.stopwaronchildren.org/ THE WAR
ON CHILDREN
Time to end grave
violations against
children in conflict.
ASLDASØØDL
The war on children – time to

end grave violations against
children in conflict, 2018
2 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

CONTENTS
FOREWORD..............................................................................................................3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................8
Key findings:.....................................................................................................4
Act now....................................................................................................................9
1 CHILDREN LIVING IN CONFLICT ZONES.............................................................6

One child in six is growing up in a conflict zone............................................. 14
Many more children are growing up in conflict today than 30 years ago...... 14
Regional trends for children in conflict............................................................ 15
2 GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN CONFLICT.................................17

Gendered nature of violations............................................................................ 19
Children with disabilities and grave violations............................................... 19
1. Killing and maiming of children..............................................................20
2. Recruitment and use of children by armed forces and groups..........25
3. Abduction of children...............................................................................26
4. Rape and other forms of sexual violence against children.................26
5. Denial of humanitarian access................................................................ 27
6. Attacks on schools and hospitals...........................................................29
Overall trends and observation..........................................................................30
3 THE 10 WORST CONFLICT COUNTRIES TO BE A CHILD IN 2022................. 31

Why is not the most lethal conflict in the world not on this list?................32
Democratic Republic of the Congo....................................................................33
Mali.........................................................................................................................34
Myanmar................................................................................................................35
Afghanistan...........................................................................................................36
Burkina Faso......................................................................................................... 37
Nigeria....................................................................................................................38
Somalia..................................................................................................................39
Syria...................................................................................................................... 40
Ukraine................................................................................................................... 41
Yemen.....................................................................................................................42
RECOMMENDATIONS.............................................................................................45
Uphold standards of conduct in conflict..........................................................45
Hold perpetrators to account.............................................................................46
Support children’s resilience and recovery.....................................................46
Protect humanitarian access and action..........................................................46
Listen to children.................................................................................................46
APPENDICES ......................................................................................................... 47
Appendix 1: Definitions........................................................................................ 47
Appendix 2: Methodology....................................................................................48
ENDNOTES..............................................................................................................49

FOREWORD
More than a century ago, the founder of Save the The challenge before us is immense. Today, 2 billion
Children spoke these words: people – a quarter of humanity – live in conflict-
affected areas. New research from the Peace Research
“ALL WARS, WHETHER JUST OR Institute in Oslo (PRIO) reveals that the number of
children living in conflict zones has reached 468
UNJUST, DISASTROUS OR million – a doubling since 1990. The number of grave
VICTORIOUS, ARE WAGED

violations against children since 2010 has almost
tripled. War in cities blurs the space between frontlines
AGAINST THE CHILD.”

and where children live, play and learn. Explosive
violence is wreaking havoc, with children seven times
more likely to die from blast injuries than adults.
They resonate with even greater urgency today, as These statistics paint a grim picture of trends heading
conflictI rages on with flagrant disregard for children’s in the wrong direction.
rights and protection.
Beyond risks to children’s protection, there is the far
It is witnessed by the Syrian child whose home was larger scale of indirect harm from conflict to children’s
destroyed by shelling, and whose friends were killed education, health, and welfare – crucial components of
when an airstrike hit her school. It is witnessed by the their rights to life, survival and development.
Sudanese child who can no longer attend school because
it has been turned into a military outpost. It is witnessed So, what needs to be done?
by Ukrainian children, who were forced to hide First, all duty-bearers, including states, must uphold
underground for an average of more than one month international laws and standards protecting children
in the first year of full-scale war. And it is witnessed by in armed conflict. These laws were not made for times
the Malian child who was forcibly recruited into an when upholding them would be easy, but for times
armed group as a messenger. when protection of children is challenged by parties to
conflict. This is the time we need the international
While this report looks at conflict zonesII in 2022, it is community to be principled and insist on their
written in the shadow of catastrophic events today in implementation.
Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory and Sudan.
Thousands of children in Gaza have been killed and I was pleased to see commitments made by 41 states
injured. The siege of Gaza has deprived Palestinian and more than 50 organisations at the landmark Oslo
children of the basic means of survival, including food, conference in 2023 on the protection of children in
clean water, and fuel. Children have been killed and conflict. Save the Children was proud to be a co-host
maimed in the West Bank and Israel, and dozens of alongside the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Israeli children were taken hostage inside Gaza.III And UNICEF, and the International Committee of the Red
in Sudan, the escalation of conflict in 2023 has now Cross (ICRC). We now need these commitments to
seen more than 7 months of unabated fighting, with translate into action.
more than 9,000 people killed.IV
Second, it is critical that accountability for crimes
The suffering of children in armed conflicts challenges against children in armed conflict is prioritised on
the progress we have made as a global community over both international and national agendas. Fostering
the last decades. It is an unforgivable crisis that violates sustainable accountability is a key element to combat
their rights and takes away their lives. We demand impunity and ensure that children survive and live free
that the war on children stop, and accountability be from violence.
enforced for crimes committed against children
trapped in conflicts; crimes that are perpetrated even While the UN’s children and armed conflict agenda is a
as world leaders talk or – worse – remain silent. vital tool, to be effective, it must consistently prioritise

children’s rights over political or geopolitical conside- The world has failed them, and it is failing children in
rations. All parties to conflict that are responsible for conflict zones around the world. We all share a
committing grave violations against children should be collective responsibility to do everything in our power
listed as perpetrators in accordance with the objective to ensure that children survive, their rights are
criteria. We must insist on children’s rights everywhere, protected, and we enable them to thrive.
at all times.
Inger Ashing
Third, we need to urgently increase flexible funding CEO, Save the Children International
and resources to strengthen age, gender and disability
responsive child protection, prevent grave violations
and support children, families and communities that
have experienced such violations. It is also necessary
to tackle the political barriers to this investment. I’ve
seen so much collaboration and innovation to protect
PROTECTING CHILDREN IN GAZA

children in conflict, but it needs to be resourced
sustainably.  
For example, visiting Ukraine earlier this year, I saw Although the data analysed here covers the
child-friendly spaces and bunker kits with toys and period up to 2022, the situation in Gaza at the
games that supported children’s learning amidst time of writing requires our immediate close
challenging circumstances. But more funding to support attention and action.
children’s resilience and recovery is desperately needed
- and we must ensure more of that funding goes directly Save the Children, along with hundreds of
to local and national organizations. organisations and over a million individuals,
are calling for all heads of state, the UN
Underpinning all these efforts must be the full and Security Council and actors on the ground to
meaningful participation of children themselves. prioritise the preservation of human life above
Ahead of the Oslo conference, we consulted hundreds all else. Through an online petition we are
of children across 10 different conflict-affected calling for a ceasefire and for all parties to
countries,V to share their experiences and give us unconditionally:
advice on how to better protect children. Their
inspiring words and call to action forms an important • facilitate the delivery of life-saving assis-
part of this report. tance, including food, medical supplies,
fuel, and the resumption of electricity and
I want to end by sharing a message to the world from internet to Gaza, in addition to safe
a group of children in Gaza in 2021, following the passage of humanitarian and medical staff
previous escalation of violence: • free all civilian hostages, especially children
and older people
“WE WANT TO LIVE LIKE • allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN

facilities, schools, hospitals and health
CHILDREN IN OTHER COUNTRIES facilities in northern Gaza and commit to
WHO CAN PLAY IN PLAYGROUNDS

protecting the civilians and staff inside
them at all times
INSTEAD OF HIDING FROM

• rescind orders by the Government of Israel
for civilians to depart northern Gaza
BOMBS. WE WANT GAZA TO BE • allow patients in critical condition to be

medically evacuated for urgent care.
A SAFE AND BEAUTIFUL PLACE
WHERE WE CAN LIVE IN PEACE.
The petition has so far generated more
than 1 million signatories.1
WE STILL HAVE HOPE. BUT WE

WANT THIS WAR TO BE THE
LAST WAR.”

Street scene in Kabul,
PHOTO: JIM HUYLEBROEK / SAVE THE CHILDREN

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This is our seventh report in Save the Children’s ‘Stop • While Africa was the continent with the highest
the War on Children’ series. Five years on since our number of conflict-affected children in 2022, the
first Stop the War on Children report, more and more Middle East had the highest proportion of children
children find themselves in contexts affected by conflict, living in conflict zones of all regions – with one-
with devastating consequences for their lives and their third of all children living in conflict zones.
futures. The analysis in this report comes from updated
data on the number of children living in conflict zones • The number of verified cases of children recruited
conducted by the Peace Research Institute Oslo and used by armed forces and groups increased by
(PRIO), Save the Children’s analysis of the 2022 United 20% from 2021 to reach 7,610 in 2022.
Nations annual report of the Secretary-General on
children and armed conflict, and our mapping of the • There has been a concerning rise in reported and
number of grave violations in the reports on children verified incidents of the denial of humanitarian
and armed conflict from 2005–22. access in recent years. This is of particular concern
as it could both reduce thousands of children’s
KEY FINDINGS: access to basic services and protection and hinder
humanitarian agencies ability to report and verify
grave violations against children. Three-quarters of
The top 3 worst conflict-affected countries all incidents of denial of humanitarian access veri-
to be a child in 2022: fied since 2005 occurred in the last five years.
1. Democratic Republic of Congo
• Children continue to be most affected in the places
2. Mali
they should be safe. The number of recorded
3. Myanmar
attacks on schools and hospitals increased by 74%
in one year, from 1,323 in 2021, to 2,308 in 2022,
with many contexts of conflict experiencing a steep
• In 2022, about 468 million children – one in six –
increase.
were living in a conflict zone. The number of
children living in conflict zones has increased
• Harmful gender norms and structural inequalities
steadily over time, with 2022 seeing a 2.8%
continue to affect children’s risks and experiences
increase from 2021.
of the six grave violations. While the number of girl
victims slightly decreased, the trend of focusing
• Overall, 27,638 grave violations against children
on reporting of grave violations that happen in the
were verified in 2022, the highest-ever since
public sphere, which are more often experienced by
reporting started in 2005. This works out as 76
boys, means that violations experienced by girls are
violations on average per day, an increase of 13%
less likely to be visible and reported. Similarly, while
from 2021. However, due to under-reporting we
one child in ten around the world has a disability,
know this is likely to be only the tip of the iceberg.
the impact of conflict on children with disabilities
is often under-reported.
• Based on Save the Children’s analysis, the Democratic
Republic of Congo was the worst conflict-affected
country to be a child in 2022, followed by Mali in
second place, then Myanmar. In alphabetical order,
the other conflict-affected countries to make the
top 10 include: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Nigeria,
Somalia, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

Khrystyna*, 8,
photographed
in her room in
a town in
Kyiv Oblast,
Ukraine.
Her mother
Oksana* says
the child’s hair
has started
to turn grey,
which she
attributes to
the trauma
they have
endured.
PHOTO: ANASTASIA
VLASOVA/SAVE
THE CHILDREN
ACT NOW • Support children’s resilience and recovery:

We urge the international community, states, armed - Recognise the life-saving importance of child
groups, and all other relevant stakeholders to urgently protection interventions and commit to closing
prioritise and increase their efforts to protect children the gap in child protection funding by prioritising
in armed conflict. The policy toolkit available to state and investing in children and their protection.
actors to address the war on children has never been - Increase and improve the quality of funding.
stronger, but those responsible need to implement it - Ensure child protection is mainstreamed and
and to be held accountable. Children urgently need included across all programming.
action! - Invest in prevention.
- Tackle the political barriers that prevent
As states have the greatest influence and hold the investment in resilience and recovery.
primary responsibility for upholding children’s rights,
we call on states to: • Protect humanitarian access and action:
- Engage with all parties to the conflict.
• Uphold the standards of conduct in conflict: - Prioritise and advocate for principled
- Adhere – and demand that all parties adhere – humanitarian action.
to international humanitarian law (IHL), and all - Ensure that sanctions and counter terrorism
other applicable laws and standards. measures do not prevent aid reaching those
- Endorse, ratify, and implement the existing de- in need.
clarations and tools that exist to protect children
in armed conflict. • Listen to children:
- Ensure that children associated with armed for- - Meaningfully, safely and systematically consult
ces and armed groups are recognised as children. and include children in relevant processes and
Help to build the capacity of relevant parties initiatives, policies and programmes and ensure
in international laws and standards and ensure full and active participation of children in all
child protection and rights expertise are adequa- forums where issues affecting their rights are
tely resourced. being discussed.
• Hold perpetrators to account:

- Ensure international and national accountabi-
lity mechanisms prioritise the investigation and
prosecution of crimes against children.
- Support diplomatically and financially the man-
date of the UN Secretary-General on children
and armed conflict.
- Promote and support existing accountability
mechanisms.
* Name changed to protect anonymity.

FROM ENDORSEMENT TO IMPLEMENTATION:
THE 2023 OSLO CONFERENCE ON PROTECTING
CHILDREN IN ARMED CONFLICT
“IT IS NEITHER FAIR

systems, roads, and other civilian objects, children’s
prospects diminish.
NOR RIGHT THAT WE HAVE Despite this, funding for child protection interventions
MEMORIES FILLED WITH in conflict remains woefully inadequate, with predictions
EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE, FIRE,

of a $1 billion funding gap between children’s protection
needs and funds received by 2026 if donors across
AND THE LOSS OF

the board don’t step up to meet their commitments.3
While some governments remain steadfast child
INNOCENT LIVES AND protection champions, the impact of funding gaps

has seen cuts to child protection case-management,
LOVED ONES.” reductions in services to identify and support
unaccompanied and separated children, and challenges
Ahmad, Gaza, taking part in the children’s consultations and in providing children and families who have had to face
calls for action presented at the 2023 Oslo Conference on unimaginable horrors with even the most basic
Protecting Children in Armed Conflict psychological first aid support.
By failing to prioritise child protection in conflict,

In 2018, Save the Children released The War on we are failing to prevent and respond to the very
Children, a clarion call to end grave violations against violations that children face. Strong, resilient
children in conflict.2 Five years on, 2023 saw a communities and child protection systems are
landmark global conference in Oslo bring together fundamental to ensuring we see children and their
450 attendees from 100 countries, including well-being safe from harm during the violence of
representatives from 80 states and from civil society conflict. This requires sustainable, flexible and
and UN agencies to commit to substantive actions multi-year funding from a broad range of donors if we
to see children in armed conflict better protected. are to ensure the humanitarian community can not
only respond to but work to prevent grave and other
The conference was hosted by Norway together serious violations against children.
with Save the Children, UNICEF and the ICRC and in
partnership the UN Office for the Coordination of In the shadow of such a seemingly insurmountable
Humanitarian Affairs, the Office of the Special challenge, the Oslo conference marked a beacon of
Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for hope that a combination of bold policy change, funding
Children and Armed Conflict, the African Union and pledges and political commitments can make the
two states from different regions, Albania and world a better place for almost half a billion children.
Mozambique. As one child from Colombia highlighted:
Why was the 2023 Oslo Conference convened?

As we will explore in this report, Save the Children’s “IT IS IMPORTANT TO TALK IN
annual estimates of children living in armed conflict ORDER TO REACH PEACE. AND
NOT TO NORMALISE VIOLENCE.”4
found that in 2022, about 468 million children –one
child in six – were living in a conflict zone. This number
has almost doubled since the mid-1990s. Our analysis
shows more than 329,000 grave violations against A global commitment to children
children in conflict have been committed since 2005. 41 states and more than 50 organisations joined the
global commitment:
Children have greater physical and psychological
vulnerability and suffer disproportionately the “We recognize that the suffering of children affected by
consequences of modern warfare. For many children, armed conflict is one of the most pressing political and
their entire childhood is marred by violence, traumatic humanitarian concerns today. We commit to making
experiences, loss, separation and fear. With every every effort to ensure the protection of children in
attack on homes, schools, hospitals, food and water armed conflict and safeguard our common future.”

It is our hope that this global commitment will deliver The Geneva Conventions are universally ratified, but in
a collective push to make real changes for children, to addition, the Convention on the Rights of the Child is
realise the commitments made in Oslo, and to the most ratified human rights convention in the world.
promote further commitments. There is a state obligation attached to this.”
Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of
Existing provisions of IHL, including the 1949 Geneva the Red Cross6
Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols,
international human rights law (IHRL), and international Next steps
refugee law, grant children special protection in While we applaud the 80 states who attended the
armed conflict. The policy toolkit available to state Oslo conference, it is concerning that 115 did not.
actors to address the war on children has never been Speeches from state representatives often seemed to
stronger: to cite just a few, there is the Safe Schools address the toolkit of protection policies as less a
Declaration, the Paris and Vancouver Principles, and holistic basket to be uniformly endorsed and put into
the Political Declaration on strengthening the practice, and more an à la carte menu that can be
protection of civilians from the humanitarian chosen from at the least cost of political capital
consequences arising from the use of explosive possible. Likewise, the conference did not include the
weapons in populated areas. involvement of non-state armed groups, despite
millions of children living in areas affected by conflict
Yet, as that list reminds us, there is no simple solution under their control. What is more, as Watchlist has
for stopping the war on children. Instead, states must highlighted,
prioritise child protection, adopting good practice in
protecting children from harm from states’ own
actions, the actions of their partners and allies, and “THE RAPID EXPANSION OF THE
hardest of all, the actions of their enemies and of GLOBAL COUNTERTERRORISM
AGENDA THREATENS TO
non-state armed groups, which were responsible for
50% of grave violations against children in 2022.5
As the UN’s Special Representative of the Secretary- UNRAVEL ESTABLISHED LAWS

General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia
Gamba warned in her keynote address to the AND NORMS FOR PROTECTING
conference: CHILDREN’S RIGHTS.”7
“Over the 26 years of my mandate’s implementation, Sustained, high-level political commitment to this
the number of conflict situations covered has steadily agenda is crucial, as is financial support for the
increased, many of them becoming more protracted, humanitarian funds within which it lives. Protecting
more intense, and taking place in populated areas children in conflict may be a strategic, legal and moral
resulting in high civilian casualties, including children.” prerogative, but it is not easy and state actors must
not varnish over their own inconsistencies in applicati-
Save the Children will continue to call for political on. It is partly for these reasons that in 2024 Save the
support for the children and armed conflict agenda. Children will launch the first index of good practice
That entails practical actions and advocacy to: that will aim to rank states’ commitment to this
address grave violations with increased support for agenda. We hope that engagement with this index will
child protection systems and services; improve help keep the hope and momentum born of the 2023
humanitarian access to protect children affected by Oslo conference alive and lead to further meaningful
armed conflict; and support the effectiveness of the steps in stopping the war on children.
Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) and
Country Task Forces with all relevant stakeholders. “We believe that peace is about allowing life to exist.
We will continue to support the work of the Global Peace is about protecting life. And that we have a
Coalition for the Protection of Education from Attack commitment as humanity and as a country to make
(GCPEA) and the implementation of the Safe Schools an ethical commitment to protect children who are for
Declaration, as well as to support and strengthen the sure the future of this species, of the human species.
Watchlist network. War is a contradiction in terms, but it is even more
contradictory that war kills our children.”
“Children benefit from an elevated level of protection Alberto Lara, Vice Minister of Defence and Security Policies,
during armed conflict, including age-appropriate Colombia8
treatment in detention, access to education, food and
healthcare, reunification of unaccompanied children
with their families, and protection from recruitment.
Yet, the laws and standards are being applied selective-
ly to some children and not to others.

Maha,* age 10, with a drawing that she did during a workshop for injured children organised by Save the Children.
PHOTO: AHMED ALBASHA/SAVE THE CHILDREN
“WE DON’T HAVE MAGIC POWERS, BUT YOU DO!”

As a part of the 2023 Oslo conference on Protecting governments and organisations, on behalf of
Children in Armed Conflict, children who have lived themselves and the millions of children affected
all or most of their lives in areas affected by armed by conflict around the world.
conflict participated in consultations and workshops
to share their experiences and concerns regarding The children of Burkina Faso, Colombia, Iraq, Mozam-
how conflict is affecting children.9 The children were bique, Nigeria, Niger, Palestine, Somalia, Ukraine and
in ten countries – Burkina Faso, Colombia, Iraq, Yemen call on world leaders, governments and organi-
Mozambique, Nigeria, Niger, the occupied Palestinian sations to listen to them and TAKE ACTION NOW!
territory, Somalia, Ukraine and Yemen.
Their calls to action are:
“We live in fear on a daily basis and the slightest noise • Listen to us, to know our concerns.
scares us, even the explosion of a balloon; this is because • Stop the war, remove the landmines, and come
of the crackling of weapons and explosions that have together and make peace.
become recurrent and almost daily. On top of that, • Never recruit children to armed groups and make
many of our friends who had to move are struggling to sure all children have a safe place to sleep.
find sufficient food.” • Make peace, so internally displaced persons return
Girl, age 14, from Burkina Faso to their villages and all children are happy, play
outside and have the same opportunities as all
More than 300 children participated in consultative other children in the world.
sessions, interviews and creative workshops. In the • Ensure the participation and safety of children and
process, they also reviewed recommendations that young people, so they can express their opinions
children living in conflict around the world have without feeling ashamed or in danger.
shared in earlier reports such as The Children’s • Ensure we can go to school without fear! Make sure
Manifesto (2021) and the children’s communiqué for that children with disabilities can go to school.
the Conference on Children Affected by Conflict in • Secure food and water for everyone, and a world
Nairobi (2022). Based on all of this, children developed without child labour, without bullying and with
clear asks and calls to action for world leaders, lots of love.

The words on this drawing by 15-year-old in Mozambique say: “The world where I would like to grow up has no discrimination.”
PHOTO: SAVE THE CHILDREN
“I WANT TO REALISE MY DREAM, BUT I NEED

PROTECTION” Boy, Iraq
“MY CALL TO ACTION FOR THE

A clear call from children we consulted is that decision
makers must ensure the protection of all children who
spend their childhood in areas where there is conflict.
Children are calling for protection from bombs, WORLD LEADERS IS THAT YOU
missiles and landmines, and from violence and abuse. SHOULD DO WHATEVER YOU
CAN TO ENSURE THAT ALL
They want to feel safe, especially in their own homes
and neighbourhoods, with their families and with their
CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED.”

friends.
“There is not enough food for everyone because of Boy, age 16, Nigeria
the destruction of agricultural fields and with the
non-state armed groups, people abandoned everything “We want the international community to provide
and burned things. I would like them to build many us with a protective framework and a system that
houses so that all the children have a safe place enables us to live in peace. We want to draw our future
to sleep.” with our own hands and write with our hands words
Child in a resettlement centre in Mozambique that carry the anthem of hope, love and harmony. To
live our childhood as we like and desire. Accountability
“When a rocket falls from the sky, it does not differen- for those who commit crimes and violations against
tiate between a stone and a tree, and between a child children. Let our motto be freedom and a decent life
and a young person.” for the children of the world.”
Palestinian children’s council, Gaza Palestinian children’s council, Gaza

1 CHILDREN LIVING IN
CONFLICT ZONES
ONE CHILD IN SIX IS GROWING UP IN A Although the full-scale conflict in Ukraine dominated
CONFLICT ZONE news headlines, it was the conflict in northern
In 2022, approximately 468 million children –one child Ethiopia that was the most lethal in 2022. With more
in six – were living in a conflict zone, meaning within than 101,000 fatalities, it accounted for nearly half of
50km of a conflict incident10 in any given year (see all battle-related13 deaths during 2022. The Russia–
definitions and methodology page 48).11 Ukraine conflict was the second most deadly conflict,
with approximately 82,609 battle deaths.14
MANY MORE CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN
CONFLICT TODAY THAN 30 YEARS AGO As shown in Figure 2, in 2022, approximately 59% of
As Figure 1 shows, the estimated 468 million children the children exposed to conflict were living in an area
living in a conflict zone in 2022 constitutes a 2.8% that experienced between 1 and 24 battle deaths (low
increase from 2021. The number is slightly lower intensity). 20% were living in an area with between 25
than the record year of 2020, which had 496 million and 99 battle deaths (medium intensity). 17% were
children living in conflict areas.12 Over time, despite living in an area with between 100 and 999 battle
some fluctuations, generally there has been a steady deaths (high intensity). Finally, some 14.7 million
increase in the number of children living in conflict children, or 3% of all conflict-exposed children, were
zones. The number has more than doubled since the living in an area of extreme conflict intensity (1,000
lowest estimates in the mid-1990s. The main reason battle deaths or more). Over time, there has been an
for this sharp increase is not due to population incre- increase across all levels, with the group of children
ase. Rather, the share of children living in conflict has exposed to low-intensity conflict (1–24 battle deaths)
almost doubled, from 10% in the mid-1990s to almost increasing the most.
19% in 2022.
FIGURE 1. NUMBER AND SHARE OF CHILDREN AT RISK, 1990–2022
500 25%
400 20%
300 15%
Millions
200 10%
100 5%
0 0%
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Children at risk
Share of children at risk
SOURCE: UPPSALA CONFLICT DATA PROGRAM GEOREFERENCED EVENT DATASET (UCDP GED). DATASET V.22.1 AND UN (2020) WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS

FIGURE 2. CHILDREN LIVING IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED ZONES, BY CONFLICT ZONE INTENSITY, 1990–2022
Share of children living in conflict affected zones

600 0.5%
Children in conflict zones (millions)
500 0.4%
400
0.3%
300
0.2%
200
0.1%
100
0 0%
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Low (1–24) battle deaths within 50 km) High (100–999) battle deaths within 50 km)
Medium (25–99 battle deaths within 50 km) Extreme (1,000 or more battle deaths within 50 km)
FIGURE CREATED BY PRIO. DATA SOURCES: UCDP GED DATASET V.23.1 AND UN (2020) WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS
REGIONAL TRENDS FOR CHILDREN IN CONFLICT However, to capture the regional risk to children, the-
As shown in Figure 3A, Africa was the continent with se numbers must be considered relative to the overall
the highest number of conflict-affected-children in regional population size. As Figure 3B highlights, alt-
2022, with approximately 183 million children living in hough Africa had the largest number of children living
conflict zones. Asia followed, with approximately 145 in conflict zones in 2022, it also had a high number of
million children living in conflict zones. In the Ameri- children living in peaceful areas.
cas the number was 69 million, in the Middle East it
was 63 million, while in Europe 9 million children were The relative share of children living in conflict zones
exposed to conflict. was slightly higher in the Middle East. Here, more
than one-third of children were living in conflict zones
in 2022, a higher proportion than in any other region.
Number of conflict-affected children:
The number of children living in conflict zones.
Share of children who are conflict-affected:

Share of children within a country or a region
living in conflict zones, relative to overall child
population within the country or region.
FIGURE 3. NUMBER (A) AND SHARE (B) OF CHILDREN LIVING IN A CONFLICT ZONE IN 2022, BY WORLD REGION
A: Number of children (millions) B: Share of children
Africa Africa
Asia Asia
Americas Americas
Middle East Middle East
Europe Europe
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 0 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%
Conflict zone Non-conflict zone
FIGURE CREATED BY PRIO. DATA SOURCES: UCDP GED DATASET V.23.1 AND UN (2020) WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS

A child standing among a pile of rubble on a street in Gaza. PHOTO: BISSAN OWDA/ SAVE THE CHILDREN
ACTION NOW TO END CULTURE OF IMPUNITY

At the 2023 Oslo Conference on Protecting Here are a few concrete steps to advance
Children in Armed Conflict, Aurélie accountability for children:
Lamazière of Save the Children gave the • We need political and financial support
following statement:15 from member states for a child-centred
approach in the methodologies of docu-
International, regional and national non- mentation, investigation, and prosecution.
judicial accountability mechanisms such as • We need state support to ensure that child
commissions of inquiries or fact-finding rights experts can be deployed to such
missions or judicial mechanisms, such as accountability mechanisms more
international courts, too often remain systematically and more sustainably.
adult-centric in their documentation, • We need to ensure the full spectrum of
investigation or prosecution work. While crimes and violations are captured. The
there are promising efforts being undertaken, collection of evidence is often reduced to
their methodologies and approaches are still one child specific crime, for instance,
not developed enough to capture children’s recruitment and use of children.
diverse experiences of war and the full • The collection of evidence is often reduced
breadth of violations that they suffer to one child-specific crime, for instance,
from. Children don’t engage enough with recruitment and use of children. We need
accountability mechanisms, and account- to ensure the full spectrum of crimes and
ability mechanisms don’t engage enough violations are captured. We need to
with children, as it is often perceived as continue galvanised support and give
too difficult.16 children the justice that they deserve.

2 GRAVE VIOLATIONS
AGAINST CHILDREN IN
CONFLICT
Children continued to suffer heavily in 2022 from the number of reported and verified cases, with 8,647
six grave violations of children’s rights in conflict (see cases. Recruitment and use of children had the second
box). Overall, 27,638 grave violations against children highest; between 2010 and 2022, it has consistently
were reported and verified in 2022, as presented in been one of the two most reported grave violations.
the annual UN report on children and armed conflict.
That is an average of 76 violations per day and a 13%
increase from 2021. This is the highest number of Six grave violations against children in conflict
violations since the UN started reporting and verifying In 1999, the UN Security Council set out the
grave violations in 2005. Over the years since 2005, following six grave violations against children
329,806 violations have been reported in 32 conflict- in conflict:
affected countries. 1. killing and maiming of children
2. recruitment and use of children by armed
According to the UN’s annual report, in 2022, children forces or armed groups
in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the 3. abduction of children
occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine, 4. attacks on schools or hospitals
Afghanistan and Yemen experienced the highest number 5. rape or other sexual violence against children
of verified violations.18 Of the six grave violations (see 6. denial of humanitarian access.
box), killing and maiming of children had the highest
14,000
FIGURE 4. TEN YEARS OF GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN
12,000
Number of verified cases and incidents
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Recruitment and use of children by armed forces or armed groups Killing and maiming of children
Abduction of children Attacs on schools and hospitals
Denial of humanitarian access Sexual violence against children
SOURCE: SAVE THE CHILDREN’S ANALYSIS OF THE UN ANNUAL REPORTS ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT COVERING 2013–2022

It is important to remember that, given the significant The numbers referred to in this chapter are as re-
under-reporting of actual violations, these verified ported and verified in the 2023 UN annual report on
grave violations are only the tip of the iceberg. Data children and armed conflict, covering events taking
for the UN Secretary-General’s annual report on place in 2022. We refer to cases and incidents verified
children and armed conflict is gathered through the in 2022, knowing that around 10% of the violations
MRM (see box below). While ideally it would expose were committed in previous years, and only verified in
the full scale of violations against children, the primary 2022. This chapter also draws on Save the Children’s
purpose of this mechanism is to identify perpetrators analysis of grave violations against children, as
and violations and to use such data politically to halt presented in our ‘Stop the War on Children’ reports
violations and hold perpetrators to account. The six over time (see methodology page 48).
grave violations only record violations perpetrated
by armed parties to the conflict, leaving out rights
violations committed by other actors.
HOW GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN CONFLICT

ARE MONITORED
In 2005, with the adoption of resolution 1612, violations of children’s rights in situations of
the Security Council established a Monitoring armed conflict, but they have been determined by
and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) on grave the UN to constitute especially egregious
violations committed against children in times of violations and as such should receive priority
armed conflict. The MRM, which informs the UN attention.
Secretary-General’s reports on children and
armed conflict, is designed to gather accurate, A picture of the severity of grave violations against
timely, objective and reliable information on six children is presented in the UN Secretary-
grave violations committed against children in General’s annual report on children and armed
situations of armed conflict. The aim is that the conflict. It indicates the situation in several
information gathered be used to enable and countries, including whether progress has been
improve accountability and compliance to made or, in deteriorating situations, what the
international child protection standards and challenges and concerns are. The MRM is
norms.19 The MRM is established in country- formally established or mandated in a particular
situations where parties to conflict have been country once a clear pattern of violations that
listed in the annexes of the annual report of the meets the UN’s threshold for evidence has been
Secretary-General on children and armed demonstrated. Parties to conflicts reported to
conflict. It is recognised that the six grave have committed violations are included in the
violations covered by the MRM do not reflect all annexes of the annual report.
FIGURE 5. GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN 2005–22
30,000
25,000
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022

GENDERED NATURE OF VIOLATIONS Additionally, violations in spaces that are less public
Harmful gender norms and structural gender and that girls are more likely to occupy are often
inequalities affect children’s risks and experiences unseen or ignored by others, rendering experiences of
of the six grave violations. Overall, the number of sexual violence and violations in these spaces –
boy victims increased from 2021 to 2022, while the against girls, boys, and children of diverse gender
number of girl victims slightly decreased; however, we identities – under-reported and invisible.23
see an increase in the number of girls who were killed
or maimed. In some cases, the gender of the child is CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND GRAVE
not specified. VIOLATIONS
One child in ten around the world has a disability, and
It is important to acknowledge that gender dynamics 16% of disabilities worldwide can be attributed to
affect reporting on children and armed conflict.20 armed conflict.24 Children with disabilities are at high
While girls are at higher risk from sexual violence risk of violence and exclusion while also less likely to
committed by armed groups, stigma associated with be able to access services in humanitarian crises.
reporting results in significant under-reporting, Despite this, the impact of conflict on children with
including the under-reporting of sexual violence disabilities is under-reported. Results of a survey
committed against boys. In addition, there tends to be conducted by the office of the Special Representative
a focus on reporting grave violations that happen in of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed
the public sphere, such as killing and maiming, recruit- Conflict among personnel of the UN-led country task
ment, and abductions, which are more often experien- forces on monitoring and reporting acknowledged
ced by boys, and can be easier to identify and verify. that children with disabilities were not given sufficient
space in the mandate of the children and armed
In the data for 2022, 70% of the children who were conflict agenda.25 Actors should increase attention,
killed or maimed were boys. Boys also accounted for resources and their understanding of the specific
86% of those recruited or used by armed forces and needs of children with disabilities and adapt their
groups. Girls were at far higher risk of being reported response accordingly.26
to have been subjected to sexual violence committed
by armed groups, with girls accounting for 98% of “Children who are most vulnerable to grave violations
reported cases. Although children recruited and used are those who lack education or livelihood opportuniti-
by armed groups are predominantly boys, we see an es, and are in situations of poverty and displacement, or
increase in the share of girls among the cases from are children with disabilities among other risk factors.
2021 to 2022.21 These children are more exposed to recruitment, and
re-recruitment, by armed forces and armed groups and
Children in conflict zones also often face increased to other risks of war, such as gender-based violence.”
risk from other gendered human rights violations and Virginia Gamba, Special Representative of the Secretary General
compounding harms that are not always captured by for Children and Armed Conflict27
the MRM and the wider agenda around children and
armed conflict. For example, girls living in crises
contexts are 20% more likely to marry as children.22
FIGURE 6. THE GENDERED NATURE OF VIOLATIONS
25,000 Boys Girls Unknown Total
20,000
15,000
10.000
5,000
0
Killed and maimed Recruitment Abduction Sexual violence Total individual
violations
SOURCE: UN ANNUAL REPORT ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 2023

1 KILLING AND MAIMING OF and 5,633 maimed, while it is not specified in 32 of the
cases. The highest reported numbers of children killed
CHILDREN in the UN’s annual report are in Ukraine, Burkina Faso
and the DRC, while the most cases of maiming of
Following a three-year decline in the number of children were in the occupied Palestinian territory,
children killed and maimed,28 the numbers increased Ukraine and Afghanistan.29
from 8,113 in 2021 to 8,647 in 2022. This grave
violation had the highest numbers of cases in 2022. Overall, the country with highest number of children
Since 2005, 131,311 children have been verified as killed or maimed in 2022 was Ukraine with 477
killed or maimed across conflict situations. children killed and 909 children maimed. The second
highest number of cases was in the occupied Palestinian
While the killing and maiming of children is reported territory, where 1,134 children were killed or maimed,
under the same violation, the total number of 8,647 most of them wounded in Gaza.
cases in 2022 breaks down to 2,982 children killed
PHOTO: AL-BARAA MANSOOR / SAVE THE CHILDREN
Tamara* is 13 years old and lives in a rural village Medical staff amputated her leg, performed a
outside of Taiz, Yemen with her older sister and skin transplant, and removed shrapnel from one
their mother. One day when she was feeding of her hands. Tamara has not yet returned to
sheep next to her family’s house, a landmine school because she can’t walk there on crutches
exploded. Tamara was taken to the hospital in and because she finds holding a pencil difficult
Taiz, where the doctors immediately diagnosed due to the shrapnel in one of her hands.
that she would need multiple operations.

FIGURE 7. COUNTRIES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHILDREN KILLED OR MAIMED IN CONFLICT IN 2022
1,600 Killed Maimed Killed or Maimed

1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
Ukraine
oPt
Afghanistan
Syria
Somalia
DRC
Burkino Faso
Yemen
Myanmar
Mali
SOURCE: UN ANNUAL REPORT ON CHILDREN AND ARMED CONFLICT 2023
2022 saw the largest number of children killed and

maimed in DRC since it began tracking grave violations 2022 SAW THE LARGEST
there. Most of the 731 children reported as killed and
NUMBER OF CHILDREN
KILLED AND MAIMED
maimed were killed, increasing by almost 50% from
2021. The data also paints a grim picture of develop-
IN DRC SINCE IT BEGAN

ments in Myanmar where 526 children were killed or
maimed, a more than double the previous year’s total
and the highest number recorded. Since 2021, cases
also more than doubled in South Sudan, with 80 TRACKING GRAVE
reported cases of children killed or maimed. In Burkina
Faso, where violations have only been reported since
VIOLATIONS THERE.
2020, the number of children killed and maimed
increased in 2022 to 677 cases, with 424 of those
children having been killed.
The UN reported that in Afghanistan, the number of

children killed or maimed decreased considerably
from 2,356 in 2021 to 909 in 2022, the lowest number
since 2007.30 However, the numbers remain unaccep-
tably high and, following Ukraine and the occupied
Palestinian territory, are the third highest across all
countries covered by the MRM. There were also
reductions in Yemen where 674 children were killed or
maimed; although still high, this is the lowest reported
number of cases since the conflict started in 2015.
The same is observed in Syria with 718 cases, with
the reported number of children killed and maimed
decreasing year-on-year from 2018 until 2022. In
Somalia, the numbers remain high, but there has
been a slight decrease since 2019.
Of course, these numbers only capture a partial picture

of how children in these countries are affected by
conflict – both in terms of child casualties and the
wider rights violations and protection risks they
experience.

A child´s school backpack and a doll among a rubble in Gaza. PHOTO: OLENA DUDCHENKO / SAVE THE CHILDREN

A DECLARATION TO PREVENT HARM:
STRENGTHENING THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS FROM THE
USE OF EXPLOSIVE WEAPONS IN POPULATED AREAS
In November 2022, The Political Declaration on • Establish capacities to gather and share data
Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the to better understand the humanitarian
Humanitarian Consequences arising from the use of consequences of military operations, including
Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA)31 data on civilian harm and damage to civilian
was endorsed by 83 states32 in Dublin, Ireland. infrastructure, and on the use of explosive
weapons.
The use of explosive weapons in populated areas • Assist victims, their families and affected
is the leading cause of harm to civilians in communities, and facilitate humanitarian
contemporary armed conflicts.33 Yet despite this, access to civilians in need.
the Declaration is the first formal international
recognition that the use of explosive weapons in The Declaration builds on states’ existing
populated areas is a humanitarian issue that must obligations under IHL, which represent the
be addressed directly. absolute minimum standards that parties to
conflict must abide by even under the most
The Declaration was developed to strengthen desperate circumstances. It also recognises that
the protection of civilians and reduce harm, national policies and practices can go beyond
recognising that bombing and shelling in populated these legal minimums – and commits states to
areas kills and injures civilians, and that yet more develop these operational rules.
people suffer from the damage and destruction
caused to housing, schools, hospitals and essential Changes in military practice to move away from
infrastructure, such as water and sanitation the use of explosive weapons in populated areas
systems. It also recognises that children have is a long-term undertaking, but starting to
unique vulnerabilities to the impacts of the use develop changes to policy and practice must
of explosive weapons, drawing on research that begin right away. Implementation will require
finds that children are more likely to suffer from dialogue and discussion between military and
burns, and to die from blast and fragmentation humanitarian actors to develop and shape both
injuries than adults. policy and practice on an ongoing basis, with a
key role to be played by civil society, the ICRC
The Declaration is a practical tool that sets out an and the UN. While endorser states will likely
agenda for changes in military policy and practice, move through this process at different speeds
as well specific humanitarian measures. It lays out and take different approaches, implementation
14 commitments, which commit states to: must be driven by the shared commitment to
strengthen the protection of civilians and
• Develop national military policy and practice reduce harm.
to impose limits on the use of explosive
weapons in populated areas, by restricting or By Laura Boillot, a Director at Article 36, and
refraining when such use may be expected to Coordinator for the International Network on
cause harm to civilians or civilian objects. Explosive Weapons (INEW). *
• Develop national policy and practice to protect
civilians and civilian objects, including infra-
structure critical to the survival of the civilian
population, from the foreseeable direct and
indirect or reverberating effects of military
operations.
*Save the Children is a founding member and on the steering committee of INEW.

PHOTO: SAVE THE CHILDREN / HUGH KINSELLA CUNNINGHAM
Junior,* 17, experienced a difficult childhood. At attacks by other armed groups. After eight months,
the age of 12, he was separated from his parents a project implemented by a Save the Children
and three siblings as a result of violence partner organisation secured Junior’s release
committed by armed groups in his community. from the armed group. In subsequent years,
While his family sought refuge in a neighbouring Junior has had psychological support and lessons.
country, Junior chose to remain with his uncle He makes clothes for himself and to sell to earn
in Eastern DRC. an income. Junior hopes that all children trapped
in armed groups will be freed. He believes that all
In 2018, Junior and some friends decided to join children have the right to reclaim their childhood.
an armed group to defend their community from

2 RECRUITMENT AND USE OF
“WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL
CHILDREN BY ARMED FORCES
CRIMINAL COURT ISSUES
AND GROUPS
ARREST WARRANTS FOR
In 2022 there were 7,610 verified cases of the PEOPLE ACCUSED OF
MANIPULATING, TAKING AND
recruitment and use of children by armed forces and
groups, a 20% increase from 2021.35 While fewer
than the record high of 8,595 cases in 2020, the
recruitment and use of children by armed forces
USING CHILDREN IN TIMES
was one of the top two reported grave violations in OF WAR, THESE ARE STRONG
SIGNS. WE CAN NO LONGER
2022, as has consistently been the case since 2018.
ACCEPT IMPUNITY FOR WHAT

By far, most of the children recruited are boys,
accounting for more than 87% of reported cases
where gender is specified. However, there is an
increase in the share of girls being recruited children
HAPPENS AMONG CHILDREN
in, for example, the Central African Republic and
Somalia.
IN ARMED CONFLICT.”
Alain Deletroz, General Director, Geneva Call36
The increase in 2022 in the reported number of

children recruited and used by armed forces and groups
In addition, 2,496 children were detained for actual or
is to some extent a result of the rise in reported cases
alleged association with armed groups. Detention
in Afghanistan, from 58 children in 2021 to 548 in
entails physical, emotional and intellectual deprivati-
2022. There was also a 30% increase in Syria in 2022
on, and is likely to have a particularly severe and
and a 75% increase in Mali, as well as cases in conflicts
lasting effect on children.
covered by the MRM for the first time in 2022, such
as Mozambique and Ukraine. While there was a
reduction in reported cases of recruitment and use
of children by armed groups in DRC and Somalia,
the level in both countries remains unacceptably
high and are among the highest of all countries
covered by the MRM.
FIGURE 8. DEVELOPMENT OVER THE LAST DECADE OF CHILDREN RECRUITED AND USED BY ARMED FORCES IN THE FIVE COUNTRIES
WITH THE HIGHEST VERIFIED NUMBERS IN 2022
3,500 Syria
DRC
3,000
Somalia
2,500 Mali
Afghanistan
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2005-2006*
2006-2007*
2007-2008*
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
SOURCE: SAVE THE CHILDREN’S ANALYSIS OF THE UN ANNUAL REPORTS ON CHILDREN AND ARMED

3 ABDUCTION OF CHILDREN
“IT CAN NO LONGER BE
The reported number of children who suffered
COST-FREE TO RAPE A CHILD.
TOGETHER, WE REALLY HAVE
abduction37 in 2022 increased again from 3,460 cases
in 2021 – a record year – to 3,983 cases in 2022. Boys
TO REVERSE THIS TREND OF

account for 47% of reported cases, girls 26%, and in
27% of cases gender is not specified.
With an increase of 10% in 2022, DRC continued to IMPUNITY INTO A CULTURE OF

have the highest reported number of children abducted,
JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY
AS A DETERRENT BECAUSE
1309. This is among the highest number reported
under this violation in any conflict country since
CHILDREN ALSO NEED JUSTICE,

reporting started in 2005. The reported number of
children abducted in Somalia also remains high, at
694, in spite of a significant decrease from 793 cases
in 2021. From 2018 to 2022, DRC and Somalia have ACCOUNTABILITY, AND
accounted for 66% of all verified cases of abductions. REPARATIONS.”
The overall increase in the number of children abducted Pramila Patten, UN Special Representative of the Secretary
in 2022 is due to a sharp rise in cases in Myanmar General on Sexual Violence in Conflict39
and South Sudan, a doubling of cases in Burkina Faso,
increases in cases in Nigeria, Mali, and verified cases In 2022, the highest verified numbers of cases of
in Mozambique. sexual violence against children in conflict, by far,
were reported in DRC, with 484 cases, and Somalia,
with 221 cases. However, in both contexts the
numbers decreased significantly from 2021 to 2022:
by 13% in DRC and almost 30% in Somalia. The decline
4 RAPE AND OTHER FORMS OF in reported cases of sexual violence in 2022 in DRC and
Somalia is part of a trend in those two countries that
SEXUAL VI OLENCE AGAINST started in 2020. Since the start of the UN Secretary-
General’s annual reporting of grave violations in 2005,
CHILDREN 15,336 children have been verified as survivors of
sexual violence in DRC and Somalia, accounting for
1159 cases of rape and other forms of sexual violence 64% of all cases verified under this violation.
against children38 were verified in 2022, a decrease
of 12% from 2021. Girls comprise 98% of verified and While all six grave violations are under-reported, this
recorded child survivors of sexual violence in 2022. is particularly the case with sexual violence. Girls may
This percentage has been consistent over the years. not report violations because of the potential backlash
and stigma caused by harmful gender norms about
girls’ purity, honour and value. Boys who are victims
“WHEN IT COMES TO
of sexual violence may fear potential stigma and taboo
because of gender norms that define that experience
ACCOUNTABILITY FOR SEXU- as humiliating and emasculating.
AL VIOLENCE PERPETUATED
AGAINST CHILDREN, WE ARE
LAGGING BEHIND. THERE’RE
SIMPLY NO EFFORTS TO SECURE
JUSTICE FOR THESE CHILDREN,
AND THAT’S WHERE WE HAVE
TO STEP UP OUR EFFORTS.

5 DENIAL OF HUMANITARIAN rian agencies’ ability to report and to verify grave
ACCESS
violations against children in support of the MRM.
The occupied Palestinian territory had the highest

In 2022, a total of 3,931 incidents of denial of number of incidents of denial of humanitarian access,
humanitarian access40 were reported and verified, with 1,863 recorded denials in 2022.42 Almost all of
a slight decrease from 4,144 incidents in 2020 and these occurred in Gaza and were due to denials of
3,945 in 2021. However, as Figure 9 shows, since the permits to seek medical care outside of Gaza. A total
first UN annual report on children and conflict in of 1,861 permit applications to Israeli authorities for
2005, there has been a sharp increase in the number children to exit through the Erez crossing to gain
of reported and verified incidents of the denial of access to specialised medical treatment were denied
humanitarian access: three-quarters of incidents have or not approved in time to reach the children’s
occurred over the five years from 2018 to 2022. scheduled hospital appointments. Five children died
Though this steep rise could be partly due to under- while waiting for approval or after repeated delays.43
reporting in previous years, it is nevertheless a deeply
alarming trend. Although decreasing, the number of verified incidents
remains high in Yemen, with 901 incidents reported in
Our analysis shows that since 2005, almost 23,000 2022. While lower than the previous four years, it was
such incidents have been verified in the UN annual the second highest figure across conflict settings in 2022.
report on children and armed conflict. These incidents From 2018–22, almost half of all incidents of denial of
include violence and threats against humanitarian aid humanitarian access covered in the annual UN reports
workers, looting of humanitarian facilities and life- on children and armed conflict occurred in Yemen.
saving supplies, and physical and administrative
barriers. The most alarming rise in incidents of the denial of
humanitarian access in 2022 was in Afghanistan with
In a survey conducted by Watchlist in 2022, three out 718, up from 31 cases in 2021, according to the UN.44
of four respondents observe that increased patterns of This amounts to as many as the combined total of all
insecurity, attacks on humanitarian workers and assets, cases reported in the country over all the previous 17
and restrictions on movement for humanitarians years, beginning in 2005. An alarming rise also occurred
had limited children’s access to humanitarian aid in in Myanmar. In previous years, there were very few
recent years.41 reported incidents of the denial of humanitarian access,
but in 2022 there were 77 verified incidents. Sharp
Unlike the four other violations covered so far, an rises in incidents of the denial of humanitarian access
incident of denial of humanitarian access could impact were also reported in South Sudan and in Burkina
thousands of children’s access to basic services and Faso in 2022.
protection. Access constraints also hamper humanita-
FIGURE 9. REPORTED INCIDENTS OF DENIAL OF HUMANITARIAN ACCESS, 2005–22
5,000
4,500
4,000
3,500
3,000
2,500
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
2005-2006*
2006-2007*
2007-2008*
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022

ACCESS DENIED
“We definitely see humanitarian space shrinking. Humanitarian access to populations in need in conflict
With all these access restrictions and risks that we are zones has become more complex in recent years.
facing, it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate Humanitarian access may also be denied in cases
at a time when humanitarian needs have dramatically where the parties to armed conflicts have imposed
increased. This situation is not sustainable.” blockades during the conduct of hostilities to prevent
Interview respondent in a survey carried out by Watchlist and the passage of goods, weapons or people to or from a
Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian belligerent or a specific area in conflict.
Affairs.45
At the outset, international law is clear. If the civilian
Humanitarian access under international law population is inadequately provided for, the parties
Humanitarian access, rooted in IHL, and mandated by to the conflict must provide for free passage of huma-
the UN General Assembly resolution 46/182 (1991), nitarian relief supplies.49 In both international armed
is defined as a two-pronged concept, comprising: conflict, including occupation, and non-international
armed conflict, customary international law now
• humanitarian actors’ ability to reach populations provides that the parties to the conflict must allow
in need and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of
• affected populations’ access to assistance and humanitarian relief for civilians in need, which is
services.46 impartial in character and conducted without any
adverse distinction, subject to their right control.50
The IHL framework governing humanitarian access
consists of four interdependent principles:47 The passage of humanitarian aid can of course be
hampered by the conduct of hostilities. But if a siege,
1. Each party to an armed conflict has to meet the blockade or embargo due to the hostilities has the
basic needs of the population under its control. effect of starving the population, the blockading party
2. Impartial humanitarian organisations have the must provide for free passage of humanitarian relief
right to offer their services to carry out supplies.51
humanitarian activities, especially when the basic
needs of the population are not being met. IHRL continues to apply, alongside IHL, in times of
3. Impartial humanitarian activities carried out in armed conflict, whether of an international or of a
armed conflicts are generally subject to the non-international character. The two legal frame-
consent of the parties to the conflict concerned; works are complementary and not mutually
however, consent cannot be denied arbitrarily. exclusive.52 Human rights treaties offer a legal
4. Once impartial humanitarian relief schemes have framework through certain key rights, such as the
been agreed to, the parties to the armed conflict, as right to life, the prohibition of torture and other cruel,
well as all states that are not party to the conflict, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment,
are expected to allow and facilitate the rapid and the right to food, the right to water, and the right to
unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief. They health. States must respect, protect, and fulfil these
may exercise a right of control to verify that the rights. The major human rights law instruments do not
goods are in fact what they are claimed to be and refer explicitly to humanitarian assistance and access.
that they are rapidly provided to the civilian However, some references are found in, among others,
population in need. the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which
has several provisions that necessitate the facilitation
Full and unimpeded humanitarian access is a of humanitarian relief to children in need, including
fundamental prerequisite to effective humanitarian ensuring that children seeking refugee status “receive
action. Yet, multiple constraints impinge on access appropriate protection and humanitarian assistance.”53
such as: the denial of the existence of humanitarian
needs or of entitlements to assistance; restrictions of Denial of humanitarian access to children and attacks
movement of personnel and humanitarian supplies; against humanitarian workers assisting children may
physical environment constraints; interference in constitute a war crime and a crime against humanity.54
humanitarian activities (for example, the diversion
of aid); active fighting and military operations; and
attacks on humanitarian personnel, goods and
facilities.48

6 ATTACKS ON SCHOOLS AND This increase can largely be attributed to the high
HOSPITALS
number of incidents in Ukraine, 781, which constitutes
one-third of the attacks on schools and hospitals veri-
fied across all conflicts in 2022. But the increase was
also steep in many other contexts. The second largest
The number of recorded attacks on schools and
number of reported attacks on schools and hospitals
hospitals55 increased by 74% in 2022, from 1,323 in
occurred in Myanmar, with 227 incidents, a significant
2021 to 2,308. This is the highest number of incidents
increase from 80 in 2021. Attacks on schools and hos-
verified since the record year of 2014. These incidents
pitals in 2022 also increased in Burkina Faso, Sudan
included attacks on school and hospital buildings, the
and in South Sudan. In Somalia in 2022, following a fall
military use of schools and hospitals, and attacks on
in attacks on schools and hospitals over the previous
health and education personnel. Despite this worrying
four years, the number of reported cases also rose.
increase, the Global Coalition to Protect Education
from Attack, applying a different methodology to their
reporting, documented an even higher number, with
more than 3,000 attacks on education alone in 2022.56
Illia,* 17, poses for a portrait at his damaged school outside of Kyiv. PHOTO: OLEKSANDR KHOMENKO/SAVE THE CHILDREN
Prior to the escalation of the war in Ukraine, school’s premises have been severely damaged.
about 400 children attended this school in a Children could only attend online classes until
village outside Kyiv on a daily basis. Following a Digital Learning Centre was set up in the
the escalation in fighting in March 2022, the community with the help of Save the Children.

OVERALL TRENDS AND OBSERVATIONS
Although numbers of grave violations increased in
THE SAFE SCHOOLS 2022, we observe a sharp decrease in the overall
DECLARATION
numbers of verified violations in contexts such as Afg-
hanistan, Somalia and Yemen over the previous years.
However, despite this overall decrease, the trend does
The Safe Schools Declaration is an inter-go- not necessarily apply to all violations, with numbers of
vernmental political commitment dedicated some violations increasing.
to protecting education in armed conflict.57 It
outlines a set of commitments to strengthen According to the UN, in Afghanistan, the number of
the protection of education from attack and children killed and maimed has declined significantly.
restrict the use of schools and universities for However, cases of recruitment of children into armed
military purposes. By endorsing the Declaration, forces and the denial of humanitarian access are on
states also commit to implementing the Guide- the rise.61 In DRC, recruitment is decreasing, but
lines for Protecting Schools and Universities more cases of children killed and maimed are being
from Military Use during Armed Conflict.58 recorded, as well as abductions, sexual violence, and
incidents of attack on schools and hospitals. In Yemen,
According to the GCPEA, 6,700 students and cases of five of the six violations are declining, but
educators were killed or harmed in the attacks attacks on schools and hospitals are on the rise. In
on education in 2022. Attacks on education can Somalia, we see a more consistent decrease across
destroy educational infrastructure, depriving violations.
learners of access to safe and quality educati-
on, and jeopardising their future and access to While numbers of cases of different violations may
other essential services. The impact of these at- fluctuate, a simple and salient principle remains con-
tacks is devastating for all children, it can cause stant: for any child in any context, one grave violation
psychological trauma, injury, or even death, all of any kind is one too many.
of which further diminishes their ability to re-
turn to school and undermine the prospects for
sustainable peace and the long-term develop-
ment of conflict-affected regions.
The Safe Schools Declaration aims to prevent

these attacks from happening by encouraging
states to adopt concrete measures to protect
education and ensure continued safe access
to good-quality education in conflict. Since it
was opened for endorsement in May 2015, 118
states59 have joined the Declaration, and many
have started to take steps to implement it.60
ACCORDING TO THE UN, IN AFGHANISTAN, THE NUMBER OF

CHILDREN KILLED AND MAIMED HAS DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY.
HOWEVER, CASES OF RECRUITMENT OF CHILDREN INTO ARMED
FORCES AND THE DENIAL OF HUMANITARIAN ACCESS ARE
ON THE RISE.

3 THE 10 WORST CONFLICT
COUNTRIES TO BE A CHILD
IN 2022
FIGURE 10. THE TEN WORST CONFLICT-AFFECTED COUNTRIES FOR CHILDREN 2022
Ukraine
Syria Afghanistan
Mali
Nigeria
Yemen
Myanmar
Burkina Faso Somalia
SOURCE: SAVE THE CHILDREN’S

ANALYSIS BASED ON NINE
INDICATORS: PREVALENCE
OF EACH OF THE SIX GRAVE
VIOLATIONS (2023 ANNUAL
Democratic Republic of Congo REPORT ON CHILDREN AND
ARMED CONFLICT), AND
CONFLICT INTENSITY, TOTAL
CHILD POPULATION LIVING
IN CONFLICT, AND SHARE OF
CHILD POPULATION LIVING IN
CONFLICT (UPPSALA CONFLICT
DATA PROGRAM GEOREFEREN-
CED EVENT DATASET (UCDP
GED), DATASET V.22.1).
Combining the Peace Research Institute Oslo’s

research on children living in conflict zones and
analysis of the UN’s data on grave violations for 2022 The top 3 worst conflict-affected
and analysis of the UN’s data on grave violations for countries to be a child in 2022:
2022, as reported in the UN Secretary-General’s
annual report on children and armed conflict, Save 1. Democratic Republic of Congo
the Children identified the ten worst conflict-affected 2. Mali
countries for children as: Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, 3. Myanmar
Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Myanmar,
Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

Maha*, 10, pictured at school with her prosthetic hand after being severely injured by a landmine while collecting
firewood with her 16-year-old sister, Maya*, in Taiz, Yemen, PHOTO: AL-BARAA MANSOOR / SAVE THE CHILDREN
In 2021, these countries were Afghanistan, Burkina draw on the Peace Research Institute Oslo’s research
Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic to show conflict intensity measured in turn by battle
of Congo, Mali, Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria deaths, total child population living in conflict-affected
and Yemen. areas, and the share of children living in conflict zones
relative to the child population of the country (see
Save the Children’s analysis and determination is methodology page 48). Countries included are
based on nine indicators. Six indicators show in turn conflict situations covered by the UN Secretary-
the prevalence of verified cases or incidents of each General’s annual report on children and armed
of the six grave violations and three further indicators conflict.
WHY IS NOT THE MOST LETHAL CONFLICT IN THE WORLD NOT ON THIS LIST?
The rating and the countries presented here are conflict it is stated that “the information does not
based on 9 indicators, 6 out of which rely on the represent the full scale of violations against children, as
verification of grave violations against children as verification depends on many factors. A much larger
presented in the UN annual report on children and number of allegations of recruitment and use was
armed conflict. Despite the PRIO data (see page received and is under verification.”62 We are
14) showing that more people (adults and chil- expecting the number of grave violations in
dren) have been killed in the conflict in Ethiopia Ethiopia to rise as ongoing violations are reported,
than in any other country in the world in 2022, the verified, and presented in next year’s UN annual
number of grave violations verified and presented report on children and armed conflict
in the 2023 UN annual report on children and
armed conflict are still low compared to many
other conflict settings. In Ethiopia, 270 violations Want to explore the data
are verified and presented in the report, violations we make use of here in
that are serious and many, but does not reflect the more detail? Check out:
scale of conflict intensity and violations. In the https://data.stopwaronchil-
2023 UN annual report on children and armed dren.org/
32 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE * Name changed to protect anonymity.
order to fulfil these obligations. I’d only get rest after
providing sustenance for our chief. It was hard for me.”
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Rape and other acts of sexual violence against
children also followed an upward trajectory. In 2021
Key facts about children and conflict in and 2022, DRC recorded the highest number of
DRC in 2022: verified cases of sexual violence
against children, with 284 cases. The Humanitarian
1,697 children recruited and used response in DRC continues to be severely under-
by armed forces and groups funded, with only 53% of humanitarian needs
covered in 2022.65
731 children killed or maimed
It is critical that donors and decision-makers:
1309 children abducted • increase flexible funding for the response in DRC
• ensure that the Safe Schools Declaration is
138 attacks on schools and hospitals effectively implemented and that its guidelines
are disseminated among actors
12 incidents of denial of • ensure unfettered humanitarian access to enable
the delivery of life-saving assistance for children
humanitarian access
• support strengthening the existing mechanism to
document and monitor grave violations and hold
484 verified cases of sexual violence perpetrators to account.
against children
5,543 battle deaths (children and adults) “THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC

11,089,497 children living in OF THE CONGO IS COMMITTED
conflict-affected areas
TO WORKING FURTHER TO
22% of children living in conflict- SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE
affected areas
STATE OF SOCIAL ACTIONS TO
STRENGTHEN INTEGRATED
DRC ranks as the worst conflict-affected country to PROTECTION, EDUCATION,
CARE AND HEALTH SERVICES
be a child in 2022. Children in the country face waves
of violent conflict, regular disease outbreaks, frequent
natural disasters and prevailing poverty. The severity
of the crisis prevents most children living in conflict- FOR MORE THAN A MILLION
affected areas63 from attending school. For those who
CHILDREN DIRECTLY AFFECTED
BY ARMED CONFLICT.”
can, their access to education is hampered by violence,
with 121 incidents of attacks against schools and
hospitals reported last year. In 2022, a total of 825
schools were closed, affecting nearly 325,000 Modeste Mutinga Mutushayi, Minister of Social Affairs,
children.64 71% of these closures were caused by Humanitarian Actions and National Solidarity,
attacks by armed groups. Democratic Republic of Congo.66
The intensification of violence has led to soaring cases

of murder, maiming and abduction of children. In 2022,
DRC recorded the largest number of children killed or
maimed in the country since reporting started, with
731 children affected, a 50% increase on the previous
year. DRC continues to record the highest number
of kidnapped children, most of whom are forcibly
recruited into armed groups. 17-year-old former
child soldier Junior* (see page 24) told Save the
Children teams, “I spent eight months in an armed
group where I was in charge of looking for food for the
fighters. Often, I was forced to go into the city to steal in

and used by armed forces and groups, being killed or
maimed, and being subject to sexual violence. These
MALI attacks often lead to entire villages being displaced.
Key facts about children and conflict in
Children have told Save the Children staff how they
Mali in 2022:
were made to watch family members being killed,
how they were forced to reveal their parents’ where-
689 children recruited and used by armed abouts, and how they were kidnapped by groups to
forces and groups help herd stolen cattle or even join armed groups.
252 children killed or maimed Assa,* age 10, told us how she had to flee after seeing
armed men kill the men in her village. When crossing
129 children abducted the river by boat to get to safety, she saw other
children and families drowning and was terrified her
100 attacks on schools and hospitals boat would sink too. She is currently living with her
family in another village, but her dream is to be able to
85 incidents of denial of humanitarian access return to her own village and to play with her friends.
One 13-year-old boy told us his wish was for “schools
43 reported cases of sexual violence to become the place where we can live in freedom.”
against children
Despite all of this, the humanitarian response continues
3,641 battle deaths (adults and children) to be severely underfunded, with the Humanitarian
Response Plan for 2022 only receiving 43% of the
8,968,906 children living in conflict- funds needed.67
affected areas
To provide Malian children with a better future, the
international community must:
75% of children living in conflict- • increase support to document and monitor grave
affected areas
violations following the departure of the UN’s
Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission
in Mali
In recent years, Mali has consistently ranked among
• increase flexible humanitarian funding and
the 10 worst conflict-affected countries for a child to
prioritise support for the protection crisis in Mali
live in, but reached a grim peak in 2022, being ranked
• ensure commitment from all actors to implement
as the second worst conflict-affected country for a
the Safe Schools Declaration
child to live in. Most areas of the country experience
• support unhindered access to ensure delivery of
regular attacks by non-state armed groups, with
life-saving assistance for children.
children particularly at risk of being abducted, recruited,
Children’s drawings in a Save the Children school showing what they saw when their villages were attacked.

MYANMAR
Key facts about children and conflict in Myanmar in 2022:
268 children recruited and used by 3 reported cases of sexual violence

armed forces and groups against children
526 children killed or maimed 2,750 battle deaths (adults and

children)
286 children abducted
16,091,888 children living in
227 attacks on schools and hospitals conflict-affected areas
77 incidents of denial of humanitarian access 88% of children living in conflict-

affected areas
One of Daw Sung

Chin’s* children in
Myanmar. In 2021,
Daw Sung Chin and her
family were displaced
from their home becau-
se of concerns about
conflict and relocated
to a remote village. She
and her husband have
started farming here,
but they struggle to
feed their children.
MYANMAR

AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan in 2022:
548 children recruited and used by armed

forces and groups

8 children abducted
152 attacks on schools and hospitals
718 incidents of denial of humanitarian access
13 reported cases of sexual violence
against children
1,545 battle deaths (adults and children)

15,500,068 children living in
conflict-affected areas
81% of children living in conflict- Gulalai’s* daughter, Harija*, 6, Jawzjan, Afghanistan.

affected areas PHOTO: JIM HUYLEBROEK / SAVE THE CHILDREN
Following the Taliban’s return to power in August concerns for children’s vulnerability and exposure to
2021, Afghanistan saw the ending of active conflict dangerous situations persist.
throughout the country from late 2021 and in 2022.
Before that, most conflict-related threats against Despite a notable decrease in overall armed violence,
children were the result of active hostilities between the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan documented
the then-incumbent government and NATO forces and 2,106 civilian casualties (700 fatalities, 1,406 injuries),
the Taliban, with children and education, health and including children, between mid-August 2021 and mid-
other civilian facilities attacked. After August 2021, June 2022. The predominant cause of these civilian
the number of attacks on civilians, including children, casualties can be traced to targeted attacks carried
significantly decreased. out by the armed group self-identifying as ‘Islamic
State in Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province.’
The reduction in the number of children affected These attacks specifically targeted ethnic and religious
by armed conflict since August 2021, while notable, minority communities in locations where they, for
warrants careful scrutiny. Instances of grave violations example, go to school, worship, and go about their
have witnessed a marked decline, but underlying chal- daily routines.68
lenges persist, including the presence of landmines
and unexploded ordnance. The other major violations, In summary, the post-August 2021 period has seen
including issues such as school attacks, military use of nuanced developments in the situation of children and
schools, abductions of children, and denial of humani- conflict in Afghanistan. While there are some signs
tarian access have significantly decreased from 2021 of improvement, that cautious optimism is further
to 2022. tempered by persistent challenges and uncertainties.
While recognising the complexities inherent in achieving
The data on the recruitment and use of children by meaningful change for children, there is hope that
armed forces, a grave violation that marred the pre- we will see continued attention and efforts towards
August 2021 period, has also seen some improvement, creating a more secure and stable environment for
suggesting a potential shift away from the exploitation Afghan children.
of children in combat or supporting roles. However,

BURKINA FASO
Key facts on children and conflict in Burkina
Faso in 2022:

forces and groups

against children

6,218,246 children living in conflict-
affected areas
53% of children living in conflict- A portrait of Souleymane, aged 14, inside his home in
Yatenga provincea, Burkina Faso.
affected areas PHOTO: ADRIEN BITIBALY / SAVE THE CHILDREN
Burkina Faso was one of the worst conflict-affected Save the Children is calling for:
countries in the world to be a child in 2022. One in • the government of Burkina Faso to facilitate
four people was in need of urgent assistance (more humanitarian access to affected populations in
than 4.9 million people).69 It is also one of the world’s hard-to-reach areas
most neglected crises, with less than 50% of funding • all parties to the conflict to uphold IHL, prioritise
secured to meet humanitarian needs in 2022.70 the safety and security of humanitarian personnel,
and enable them to carry out their duties with
Widespread insecurity between multiple armed groups independence and impartiality
is triggering a massive displacement crisis. As of the • the international community, including donors,
end of 2022, 1.9 million people were internally dis- to provide organisations with flexible funding to
placed,71 almost half of whom were children.72 More support the scale-up of urgent, life-saving services
severe and frequent climate shocks, including drought to the most at-risk communities
and flooding, are also uprooting families from their • children in all conflict-affected countries, such as
homes, further restricting their access to essential those in the Central Sahel, to be given the attention,
services and livelihood opportunities. Food insecurity solidarity and protection they are entitled to and
and insufficient livelihoods, coupled with a lack of that they need to rebuild their lives.
good-quality nutrition services, are perpetuating
“WE, THE CHILDREN OF

children’s vulnerability to malnutrition, disease and
multi-dimensional poverty. Limited access to good-qu-
ality and safe education is denying children their right
to learn, entrenching gender disparities and inequali- BURKINA, HAVE ONLY ONE
ties, and exposing them to protection risks. In 2022, a
total of 6,253 primary and post primary schools were
WISH: FOR PEACE TO RETURN.”
closed due to insecurity, almost of quarter of educati- Bande,* from Burkina Faso, taking part in the child consultations
onal institutions73 and over a million children were out ahead of the 2023 Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in
of school.74 Armed Conflict

In 2022, 3.6 million people were internally displaced
in Nigeria, of whom 1.9 million were living in pro-
NIGERIA tracted displacement in the north-eastern state of
Borno.75 Displaced people are often forced to live in
overcrowded camps, where they are denied access to
Nigeria in 2022:
education, and face hunger, malnutrition, and other
health-related issues.
forces and groups Children also face high levels of violence. Already one
of the conflict-affected countries with the highest
53 children killed or maimed reported numbers of children raped and sexually
abused in 2021,76 the rate of reported cases of sexual
285 children abducted abuse and violence against children increased further
in 2022, with 81 registered cases. 2022 also saw an
10 attacks on schools and hospitals increase in cases of abducted children with 285 cases
and 168 cases of children being recruited by armed
6 incidents of denial of humanitarian access actors, sometimes to carry out domestic work. In
September 2022, a total of 934 schools were closed
81 reported cases of sexual violence due to insecurity, affecting many thousands of
against children children.77
2,882 battle deaths (adults and children) Save the Children is calling for the government to:
• enforce the implementation of the Child’s Rights
66,519,775 children living in conflict- Act nationwide, emphasising the need for one state
affected areas that is yet to pass the bill to undertake domestication
• institutionalise legal frameworks such as the Child
Rights Law, including planning within the annual
59% of children living in conflict- budget cycles in order to see impact on the ground
affected areas
• establish and monitor clear indicators for budget
allocation to healthcare, to ending child marriage,
and to ensuring access to good-quality education
for children
Over the last few years, the situation for children in
• provide support and resources to ensure the
Nigeria has significantly deteriorated due to protracted
needs of children are met, particularly in the face
armed conflict as well as the compounding effects of
of environmental and humanitarian crises
climate change. These twin threats are having a pro-
• support coordination in safeguarding the rights and
found impact on the well-being and safety of children.
future of Nigerian children.
In Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states, which are
the epicentre of the conflict, children face significant
protection concerns.
A drawing by a child in Nigeria. PHOTO: SAVE THE CHILDREN

“AS GLOBAL
SOMALIA
LEADERS, IT’S
OUR DUTY TO
Somalia in 2022
1,094 children recruited and used by armed PROTECT AND

forces and groups INVEST IN
712 children killed or maimed CHILDREN’S
694 children abducted WELLBEING.”
Abshir Omar Jama,
45 attacks on schools and hospitals Foreign Minister of Somalia78

against children

affected areas
63% of children living in conflict-affected areas
Abu,* age 7, at a camp in south-western Somalia. Abu was shining shoes with his friends when he was injured in a
bomb blast. PHOTO: MUSTAFA SAEED / SAVE THE CHILDREN

SYRIA
Syria in 2022:
1,699 children recruited and used by

armed forces and groups

4 children abducted
against children

affected areas
99% of children living in conflict- Sanaa*, 8, writing on the board during a class in Save the
affected areas Children’s school in a displacement camp in North East
Syria. PHOTO: RONI AHMED / SAVE THE CHILDREN
In 2022, children in Syria continued to face severe including education. At the end of 2022, almost
crisis, driven by 12 years of conflict and a deepening 7,000 third-country national children required safe
economic crisis, with rising prices and currency deva- repatriation with their families, despite a 60%
luations making it increasingly difficult for families to increase in repatriations from the previous year.80
afford food, water, rent, school fees and other essenti-
als. By the end of the year, more than 15 million people Save the Children is calling for all parties to the
required some form of humanitarian assistance, up conflict to:
from 14.6 million at the end of 2021. For the first • respect their obligations under IHL to protect
time, this included people living in every sub-district civilians and civilian infrastructure
of the country. Drought, water shortages and cholera • end grave violations against children, including
outbreaks all exacerbated levels of need across the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools
country.79 and hospitals, and the recruitment and use of
children by all parties.
Syria in 2022 had the highest number of any country • end the use of explosive weapons in
in the world of reported cases of children recruited populated areas.
and used by armed forces and groups – a total of 1,699
children signifying a 30% increase from the previous An inclusive political solution to the conflict has
year – with almost all of these children used in combat. remained out of reach but is desperately needed.
Children across the country face protection risks due Despite rising needs, the Humanitarian Response Plan
to the deteriorating humanitarian situation, including for 2022 was only 53% funded. Funding continues to
child labour, child marriage, as well as violence and be highly politicised, preventing early recovery efforts
exploitation. Across northern Syria, children face se- that would enable families to rebuild their lives.
rious protection threats caused by conflict, including
displacement, being separated from families or forced
out of school. In Al Hol and Roj, thousands of children,
including Syrians, Iraqis and third-country nationals
are trapped with limited freedom of movement, facing
security threats and limited access to basic services,

UKRAINE
Ukraine in 2022:

forces and groups
1,386 children killed or maimed

against children

affected areas
81% of children living in conflict-

affected areas Maxim*, 5 sitting at the fence of his house hit by shelling,
Kyiv region. PHOTO: OLENA DUDCHENKO / SAVE THE CHILDREN
In 2022, at least 17.7 million people in Ukraine were in Save the Children is calling for:
need of humanitarian assistance —around 45% of the • all parties to the conflict to halt the use of
pre-conflict population.81 Around 7.5 million children indiscriminate and non-precision weapons,
in Ukraine face grave risks, including physical harm, including cluster munitions, and for an immediate
emotional distress and displacement.82 halt in attacks targeting civilians, civilian
infrastructure, schools, hospitals and
In 2022, a total of 1,386 children were reported to humanitarian facilities
have been killed and maimed.83 The majority of civilian • all parties to the conflict to respect IHL and
casualties were caused by explosive weapons with recognise the life-saving, non-political, and
wide-area effects, such as artillery, multiple launch non-commercial nature of humanitarian action
rocket systems, missiles and air strikes. It is a grim • the international community to have a
reminder that explosive weapons should not be used comprehensive approach to accountability,
anywhere near populated areas, such as towns and including judicial accountability, but also victims’
villages. right to truth, reparation and non-repetition
• a comprehensive investigation that focuses on
Despite the cessation of active fighting in some grave and other violations of children’s rights.
areas, the high contamination of explosive weapons,
unexploded ordnance and mines poses a grave danger.
More than 2 million children are at risk due to mines
and unexploded ordnance, with contamination
increasing significantly since February 2021.
501 educational facilities were reported as damaged

or destroyed in 2022, with 383 damaged and 118
completely destroyed.84 Many are still used as collective
centres housing displaced people; others are used as
distribution sites, and some for military purposes.

The impact of the protracted conflict in Yemen and its
YEMEN
induced economic crisis has left millions of families
struggling to meet even the most basic requirements
Key facts about children and conflict in for their children, such as food and education. More
Yemen in 2022 than 17 million people, comprising over 50% of the
population, have experienced high levels of acute food
insecurity. Children are disproportionately affected;
198 children recruited and used by with 2.2 million suffering from acute malnutrition –
armed forces and groups
among the highest number in any country in the
world.88
2.7 million children, including 600,000 internally
18 children abducted displaced children, are deprived of their right to an
education, subjecting them to further protection
117 attacks on schools and hospitals risks.89 Other risks, including child labour, early and
forced marriage, and recruitment into armed groups,
901 incidents of denial of humanitarian access continue to soar across the country as more and more
families are forced to resort to negative coping
6 reported cases of sexual violence against mechanisms to manage the impact of the crisis. More
children than 9 million children require protection assistance.90
However, child protection only received 9.4% of the
3,199 battle deaths (adults and children) requested funding in 2022.
12,975,290 children living in conflict- To give children in Yemen the chance of a better
affected areas future, it is critical that:
• parties to the conflict prioritise the protection of
89% of children living in conflict- civilians, especially children, and comply with IHL
affected areas • parties to the conflict prioritise the clearance of
explosive ordnance with long-lasting impacts and
provide explosive ordnance risk education to
safeguard children
Yemen continues to be one of the worst places in the
• the international community must urge conflict
world to be a child. Despite a reduction of conflict
parties to recommit to the truce and boost funding
activities in the country following a six-month truce,
to the country’s Humanitarian Response Plan,
2022 saw one child killed or injured every day;85
including child protection, to meet children’s
explosive ordnance, including landmines, accounted
pressing needs and uphold their rights.
for more than half of child casualties.86 By the end of
2022, more than 11,000 children had been killed and
maimed since the beginning of the conflict in 2015.87
“IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY TO EXCHANGE AND

UNDERTAKE ACTIONS AIMING TO INCREASE POLITICAL WILL AND
ADVOCACY TO END VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN CONFLICT
SITUATIONS AND TO HOLD PERPETRATORS TO ACCOUNT AND IN-
CREASE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR REINTEGRATION PROGRAMMES
THAT ARE FLEXIBLE, MULTI-YEAR, MULTI-SECTOR AND ALIGNED
WITH NATIONAL PRIORITIES AND PLANS.”
Megi Fino, Deputy Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of Albania91

CHILD PROTECTION AND PRIMARY PREVENTION
Within humanitarian response, the humanitarian What is being done on prevention for child
sector often focuses on responding to harm when protection?
it occurs. At the 2023 Oslo Conference and beyond, As the child protection community, we have been
we have seen a steady increase of calls across the prioritising prevention in child protection in
humanitarian sector to prevent harm before it humanitarian action. The Prevention Initiative92 of
occurs and to do so more systematically. Parti- the Alliance for Child Protection in Humanitarian
cularly, as we know that harm caused to children Action is a body of work that seeks to invest in
during conflict can have a devastating effect, with building the foundations for a more prevention-
impacts spanning their well-being and adversely focused child protection response, including
affecting their physical, cognitive, emotional and through the development of practical tools and
social development. generation of evidence on primary prevention.
Primary prevention is about identifying and A Primary Prevention Framework93 is currently

addressing the risk factors and root causes of being tested in South Sudan and Niger, which
harm to children at population level – and not should provide an essential evidence base to
waiting for those risk factors to turn into actual move forward this agenda.
harm. By nature, this requires a multi-sectoral
approach. How can we scale up a prevention approach to
humanitarian response?
If lack of access to education, social norms and The Alliance sees three key areas that would
household food insecurity are identified among scale up a prevention approach and ensure the
the main drivers of the recruitment and use of protection of children in conflict before harm
children by armed groups, for example, then this occurs. This includes:
requires targeted interventions by food security,
education and child protection actors across the 1. A lens-shift for the protection sector to invest
affected population. significantly in changing the culture of humani-
tarian action to be more prevention focused
Children, their families, communities and societies alongside response. This will require increasing
also have their own protective mechanisms, awareness and understanding of primary
including children’s agency, peer networks, family prevention.
ties and support systems. Therefore, an important 2. Invest more in research to showcase the
element of primary prevention includes our effectiveness of prevention approaches to
role as humanitarian actors in supporting and minimise harm in a cost-efficient manner.
strengthening these protective factors during 3. A-whole-of-system shift for donors, humani-
humanitarian crises. tarian leadership at all levels and frontline
workers. This must include sectors outside of
Why is it so important to prioritise prevention? child protection, as primary prevention is only
If we wait to act until a protection crisis breaks possible through a multi-sectoral approach.
out, it is already too late. Every child has the right
to protection from all forms of violence, including Preventing harm to children is everybody’s
in humanitarian settings. Preventing harm to responsibility. In many cases, it is possible to
children before it occurs, wherever possible, is an address the root causes of harm rather than
ethical responsibility of all humanitarian actors. merely treating the symptoms. This approach
Additionally, addressing the root causes of harm fosters collaboration across humanitarian
to children improves the sustainability and long- sectors, contributes to bridging the humanitarian–
term impact of humanitarian responses. It also development–peacebuilding nexus, creates
increases the cost-effectiveness of child protection sustainable change, and promotes holistic well-
interventions: by allocating more resources being and protective environments for children,
towards preventative strategies we save money families and their communities.
by reducing the need for more costly response
interventions. By Hani Mansourian, co-coordinator of the Alliance
for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action94

PHOTO: CICILIA ADE HILLARY/ SAVE THE CHILDREN
Simon,* age 13, with a red jacked in the photo, Fortunately, Simon was identified as an unac-
lived with his family in Khartoum before the companied minor by staff from the International
fighting broke out in Sudan. He was worried by Organisation for Migration. They referred him
the sound of guns and the sight of many people to Save the Children to trace his family’s where-
fleeing the conflict. He went to stay with his abouts. Save the Children worked with partners
uncle, who was also in Khartoum. But when he to trace Simon’s relatives in South Sudan and
came back to his family and his neighbourhood, reunify him with them. Now, after spending more
he found that armed men had destroyed most of than three months travelling on his own, Simon is
the houses. Lots of people were fleeing. Simon thankfully back home with his family in Juba.
decided to escape with them, even though he
wasn’t with his parents or other family members.
After a week on the move, Simon and the group
he was with reached a city in White Nile.

RECOMMENDATIONS
We welcome the commitments made at the 2023 Oslo • Ensure that all children associated with armed
conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict. forces and groups, including those with alleged or
We urge states to take immediate steps to ensure those actual affiliation with proscribed groups, are
commitments are effectively implemented. And we recognised first and foremost as victims and that
encourage more states and other actors to follow suit. their protection and rights are prioritised. Ensure
that children are only detained as a last resort and
As the stark findings of this report make glaringly clear, for the shortest possible period of time, and that
children affected by armed conflict need action now. their rights and protection are prioritised in line
with international juvenile justice standards as
The following recommendations are aimed specifically at well as IHRL.
states, since it is states that have the primary respon- • Work with parties to armed conflict to ensure their
sibility for upholding children’s rights and the greatest full compliance with IHL, IHRL and International
potential influence on the protection of children in Refugee Law and their respect for norms and
conflict. In developing their agendas for action, we standards on civilian protection. This includes
therefore call on states to: strengthening training and other capacity-building
measures to foster a culture of respect for civilian
UPHOLD STANDARDS OF CONDUCT IN protection and ensure that partners and allies:
CONFLICT - understand and take into account the
reverberating effects of military actions on
• Take all possible measures to protect children in civilians and civilian infrastructure
armed conflict, in line with IHL and other applicable - are equipped with the requisite knowledge and
international laws and standards. skills to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of
• Consistently demand that all parties to conflict civilian populations, including the indispensable
adhere to these standards, regardless of the role of mitigating civilian harm
context. When states hold their allies to a lower - record casualties according to internationally
standard, this fundamentally undermines the agreed standards.
credibility and effectiveness of the international • Sign and ratify the International Arms Trade Treaty,
order and of attempts to strengthen the protection ensuring steps are taken to suspend and/or ban the
of children. supply, export or transfer of arms, weapons and
• Endorse and fully implement the Safe Schools other military assets, including dual-use goods, to
Declaration on protecting education during parties to conflict where there is an overriding risk
conflict, ensuring its comprehensive integration that such items may be used to commit or facilitate
into national policies and practices – and encourage violations of IHL, IHRL or other serious crimes
other states to do the same. against civilians, including children.
• Endorse and fully implement the Political Declaration • Develop a national strategy for the protection of
on the use of EWIPA to strengthen the protection children in conflict that brings together military
of civilians from the humanitarian harm explosive policies and operational procedures, diplomacy, and
weapons cause. Encourage and support other humanitarian, development and peace approaches.
states to do the same. • Support and fund dedicated resources for embedding
• Ratify and fully implement international instruments and adequately resourcing child protection and
to protect children from recruitment, including the children’s rights expertise in all peacekeeping
Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights missions – UN, African Union, EU, NATO, and
of the Child on the involvement of children in armed those of other regional organisations.
conflict, the Paris Principles, and the Paris Commit-
ments. Encourage other states to do the same.

HOLD PERPETRATORS TO ACCOUNT children, including ensuring safe education and
continued learning, and age-responsive, gender-
• Ensure that international and national accountability based violence prevention, mitigation, and
mechanisms prioritise the effective investigation response services
and prosecution of crimes and violations against - increase investment in primary prevention,
children, including through: guided by the Primary Prevention Framework
- ensuring that crimes against children are for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action,95
explicitly included in their mandates to address the root causes of harm to children
- resourcing dedicated child-specific and gender- within a population or community.
sensitive expertise • Tackle the political barriers that preclude investment
- strengthening collaboration between accounta- in children’s protection, resilience and early
bility mechanisms to avoid re-traumatisation of recovery, and ensure that support is provided in line
survivors, notably children. with children’s needs and dignity, and in line with
• Support, diplomatically and financially, the mandate the child protection minimum standards.96
of the Special Representative on children and • Fulfil commitments made through the Grand
armed conflict and advocate for the complete, Bargain by allocating at least 25% of humanitarian
accurate and impartial listing of perpetrators in the funding directly or as directly as possible to local
UN Secretary-General’s annual children and armed and national actors, including child- and youth-led
conflict report. Invest financial and diplomatic groups.
resources in strengthening the UN’s systematic
monitoring and reporting of violations of children’s PROTECT HUMANITARIAN ACCESS
AND ACTION
rights in conflict (via the MRM), including the
tracking of age- and sex-disaggregated data.
• Provide diplomatic and financial support for the
• Engage, directly or indirectly, with all parties to
African Union’s work on children and armed
conflict to ensure that children and other civilians
conflict.
can access life-saving assistance, protection and
• For members of the UN Security Council: Actively
basic needs support.
support – and refrain from impeding or vetoing
• Prioritise and advocate for principled humanitarian
– Council action to hold perpetrators of grave
action, avoiding undue interference or politicisation
violations of children’s rights in conflict to account.
of aid by host authorities, non-state actors and
Security Council members have a particular
donor governments.
responsibility to champion adherence to IHL,
• Ensure that sanctions and counter-terrorism
promote independent accountability mechanisms,
measures do not prevent aid reaching those in
identify and call out perpetrators, and make full use
need, including by fully implementing the standing
of the tools and resolutions currently available to
humanitarian exemption across UN sanctions
the Security Council designed to protect children
regimes established by UN Security Council
from grave rights violations.
Resolution 2664.
SUPPORT CHILDREN’S RESILIENCE LISTEN TO CHILDREN

AND RECOVERY
• Meaningfully, safely and systematically include
• Recognise the life-saving importance of child children in peace processes, conflict prevention
protection interventions and commit to closing initiatives, and the development of policies and
the gap in child protection funding by prioritising programmes aimed at strengthening the protection
and investing in children and their protection. of children affected by armed conflict.
This includes: • Ensure the full and active participation of children
- scaling up sustainable, multi-year, flexible, stand- in all global, regional and national forums where
alone child protection support to all children issues affecting their rights and futures are discus-
impacted by conflict, including child protection sed, including conflict and climate change.
case management; family strengthening and
support to unaccompanied and separated
children; mental health and psychosocial
support services; and capacity strengthening of
community-level child protection mechanisms
- ensuring child protection is integrated, main-
streamed, and included in multi-sector, gender-,
age-, and disability-responsive programming that
recognises the centrality of protection as an
obligation that cuts across interventions for

APPENDIX 1
DEFINITIONS
This report uses the Uppsala Conflict Data Program The six grave violations against children: the UN
(UCDP) definitions of conflict. Security Council has identified six grave violations
against children in situations of armed conflict: killing
Battle-related deaths: deaths resulting from the use and maiming of children; recruitment or use of
of armed force between warring parties in a conflict, children in armed forces and groups; rape and other
be it state based or non-state. We use the term to forms of sexual violence against children; abduction of
include both combatant and civilian deaths. children; attacks against schools and hospitals; and
denial of humanitarian access to children. These grave
Conflict/armed conflict: when armed force is used by violations were defined on the basis of their egregious
an organised actor against another organised actor or nature and their severe impact on children’s wellbeing.
against civilians, resulting in at least 25 battle-related In addition to the six violations, the annual UN has
deaths in one calendar year (low-intensity conflict). verified cases of detention of children since 2012 and
Medium intensity is defined as 25–999 battle deaths presented them in the report.
in one calendar year, and high intensity defined as
1,000 or more battle-related deaths in one calendar
year.
The definition includes three types of conflict:

• State-based conflict takes place between two
states (inter-state conflict), or between one state
and one or more rebel groups (civil conflict).
• Non-state conflict is fought between two
organised, armed actors, of which neither is the
government of a state.
• One-sided violence is perpetrated by an organised
armed group, either a state’s military forces or an
armed group, against civilians.
Conflict incidents/events: a conflict event is defined

as a lethal incident, either a violent clash between two
armed groups or an attack on civilians by a group or
groups, at a given time and place. Conflicts usually
consist of multiple conflict events.
Conflict zone/area (or an area impacted by conflict):

an area within the borders of a country and within
50km from where one or more conflict incidents takes
place in a given year.
Children living in conflict-affected areas/conflict-

affected children: children who reside within conflict
zones.
Children: we use the definition from the 1989 UN

Convention on the Rights of the Child, which defines
children as individuals under the age of 18 years.

APPENDIX 2
METHODOLOGY
The findings presented in this report are based on 3. Save the Children’s analysis and determination is
the main sources set out below. We have included based on nine indicators. Six indicators show in turn
limitations associated with each of the sources. the prevalence of verified cases or incidents of each
of the six grave violations (as set out in the annual
1. Updated data on the number of children living in UN reports on children and armed conflict). Three
conflict zones conducted by the Peace Research further indicators draw on PRIO’s research to show
Institute Oslo (PRIO). The core dataset used to conflict intensity measured in turn by battle deaths,
map conflict patterns in this report is the Uppsala total child population living in conflict affected
Conflict Data Program’s Georeferenced Event Data areas, and the share of children living in conflict
set (UCDP GED). The UCDP dataset provides the zones relative to the child population of the country.
geographical location, timing and intensity of each The indicators are separately rated, then the rating
conflict event97 globally, covering the years 1989– is summarized. All indicators are weighted equally.
2022. To estimate the number of children living
in conflict areas, and populations more generally, The indicators we have used to identify the ten worst
PRIO cross-referenced the conflict data with popu- countries to be a child are based on the annual UN
lation data from Gridded Population of the World reports on children and armed conflict and the UCDP
(GPW) and from the UN (2020) World Population GED dataset/PRIO as outlined above, shaped by the
Prospects.98 The data does not distinguish between very same data limitations. The challenge to timely
civilians and military personnel, or between adults report and verify grave violations is one, illustrated by
and children. the example of Ethiopia on page 32.
2. Analysis by Save the Children of the 2023 United

Nations annual report of the Secretary-General on
children and armed conflict, based on data reported
and verified in 2022. The analysis also draws on
previous Save the Children mapping of the number
of grave violations in the reports on children and
armed conflict from 2005–22. Unlike the annual
UN reports on children and conflict, we have
included verified incidents of military use of
hospitals and schools under the grave violation
attacks on schools and hospitals when we add up
the grave violations in each conflict setting.
The MRM data in the UN Secretary-General’s

annual reports on children and armed conflict
inevitably only paints a partial picture due to access
restrictions, security threats and limited resources.
This means that not all cases can be reported and
verified and are therefore not included in the
report. Although the numbers on verified viola-
tions are likely to only be the tip of the iceberg,
the trends are measurable and reflect the reality
that we see in conflict zones today. There is also a
time-lag. As the process of reporting and verifying
takes time, some violations that have taken place
one given year might only be included in the report
covering the following year.

ENDNOTES
I) For definition see Appendix 1, page 47
II) For definition see Appendix 1, page 47
III) OCHA, Hostilities in the Gaza Strip and Israel, Flash Update #30, 5 November,
IV) OCHA (2023), Sudan is reeling after six months of war – Statement by Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-reeling-after-six-mont-
hs-war-statement-martin-griffiths-under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-enar?_
gl=1*wd6b6j*_ga*MTQyODcyMjE4NC4xNjU4MDQ5ODA2*_ga_E60ZNX2F68*MTY5ODAyOTA3My40Mi4wLjE2OT-
gwMjkwNzMuNjAuMC4w, accessed, 1.12.23
V) For definition see Appendix 1, page 47
1) As of 11/12/2023. https://www.change.org/p/sign-and-share-this-urgent-petition-calling-for-a-ceasefirenow-in-ga-
za-and-israel
2) Save the Children (2018), The War on Children
3) Save the Children International (2023), Unprotected Special Edition: Analysis of funding for child protection in armed
conflict in 2021 and 2022
4) Cristina (2023), Colombia, taking part in the child consultations ahead of the conference Protecting Children in Armed
Conflict, Oslo
5) United Nations Press (2023), Highest-Ever Number of Violations against Children Verified in 2022, Briefer Tells Security
Council, as Speakers Champion Reintegration, Education Programmes, https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15343.doc.htm, acces-
sed 17.11.23
6) M Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (2023), Statement given at the Oslo Conference on
Protecting Children in Armed Conflict
7) Watchlist (2022), “A Credible List”: Recommendations for the Secretary-General’s 2022 Annual Report on Children and
Armed Conflict
8) A Lara (2023), Vice Minister of Defence and Security Policies, Colombia, Statement given at the Conference on Protecting
Children in Armed Conflict, Oslo
9) Save the Children (2023), We don’t have magic powers, but you do! Children’s call to action: Protecting Children in Armed
Conflict – Our Common Future
10) For definition see Appendix 1, page 47
11) Updated data on the number of children living in conflict zones conducted by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO).
The core dataset used to map conflict patterns in this report is the Uppsala Conflict Data Program’s Georeferenced Event
Data set (UCDP GED). The UCDP dataset provides the geographical location, timing, and intensity of each conflict event
globally, covering the years 1989–2022. CIESIN (2018) Gridded Population of the World v.4.11. Available at: sedac.ciesin.
columbia.edu/data/collection/gpw-v4 ; UCDP (2022) UCDP Georeferenced Events Database v.23.1. Available at: ucdp.uu.se/
downloads; UN (2020) World Population Prospects. Available at: population.un.org/wpp.
14) A Obermeier & S Rustad (2023), Peace Research Institute Oslo Conflict Trends: A Global Overview, 1946-2022
15) A Lamazière (2023), Save the Children, Statement given at the Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict
16) Save the Children International & the University of Oxford (2021), Advancing Justice for Children: Innovations to strengt-
hen accountability for violations and crimes affecting children in conflict
17) United Nations (2023), Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict
18) Ibid
19) UNICEF (2014), Guidelines – Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism on Grave Violations against Children in Situations of
Armed Conflict
20) For more analysis on the gendered nature of grave violations, please read our previous SWOC report, Gender Matters.
21) 981 out of the total 4371 violations verified in DRC in 2022 are not included in this figure. The violations had occurred
in previous years and were only verified in 2022, and gender is not specified in relation to each of the violations, but rather
applied across violations, as 981 violations against 792 children (558 boys, 234 girls).
22) Save the Children (2022), Global Girlhood Report: Girls on the frontline, https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/
Global-Girlhood-Report-2022_Girls-on-the-Frontline.pdf/
23) Save the Children (2020), Stop the War on Children: Gender Matters, https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/docu-
ment/stop-war-children-2020-gender-matters
24) OCHA (2020), Persons with disabilities in armed conflict: Inclusive protection, https://www.unocha.org/story/persons-di-
sabilities-armed-conflict-inclusive-protection

25) UN Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (2022), Study of the
evolution of the Children and Armed Conflict mandate 1996–2021
26) E Cerimovic ICRC (2022), At risk and overlooked: Children with disabilities and armed conflict, International Review
of the Red Cross, https://international-review.icrc.org/articles/at-risk-and-overlooked-children-with-disabilities-and-ar-
med-conflict-922, accessed 17.11.23
27) V Gamba (2023), Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, Statement given at the
Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict
28) According to the definitions provided by the UN, killing refers to any action in the context of an armed conflict that results
in the death of one or more children. Maiming is any action that causes a serious, permanent, disabling injury, scarring or
mutilation to a child.
30) Ibid
31) EWIPA (2022), Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences
arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, https://www.dfa.ie/media/dfa/ourrolepolicies/peaceandse-
curity/ewipa/EWIPA-Political-Declaration-Final-Rev-25052022.pdf, accessed 17.11.23
32) HI (2022), 83 States have made history by endorsing the international agreement against bombing on towns and citi-
es, https://www.hi.org/en/news/80-states-have-made-history-by-endorsing-the-international-agreement-against-bom-
bing-on-towns-and-cities, accessed 17.11.23
33) Action on Armed Violence (2022), Explosive Violence Monitor 22, https://aoav.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/
explosive-violence-in-2022.pdf, accessed 30.11.23
34) EWIPA (2022), Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences
arising from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas
35) Recruitment refers to the compulsory, forced or voluntary conscription or enlistment of children into any kind of armed
force or armed group(s), while ‘use’ of children refers to the use of children by armed forces or armed groups in any capacity -
including, but not limited to, as fighters, cooks, porters, messengers, and spies. It does not only refer to a child who is taking or
has taken a direct part in hostilities.
36) A Deletroz (2023), General Director, Geneva Call, Statement given at the Conference on Protecting Children in Armed
Conflict, Oslo
37) Abduction refers to the unlawful removal, seizure, capture, apprehension, taking or enforced disappearance of a child
either temporarily or permanently for the purpose of any form of exploitation. This includes, but is not limited to, recruitment
in armed forces or groups, participation in hostilities, sexual exploitation or abuse, forced labour, hostage-taking, and indoctri-
nation.
38) Under the auspices of the UN’s children and armed conflict agenda, sexual violence includes rape, sexual slavery, forced
prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced sterilisation, forced abortion, sexual mutilation, sexual abuse, and sexual torture.
39) P Patten (2023), UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Sexual Violence in Statement made at the Confe-
rence on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict, Oslo
40) This refers to the intentional deprivation of, or impediment to, the passage of humanitarian assistance which is indispensa-
ble to children’s survival by parties to conflict. The denial should be considered in terms of children’s access to assistance as
well as humanitarian agencies’ ability to access vulnerable populations, including children.
41) Watchlist & IIHA (2022), Denial of Humanitarian Access for Children: Legal, Policy, and Operational Challenges
42) United Nations (2023), Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, p.13
43) United Nations (2023), Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, pp.13-14
45) Ibid
46) OCHA, Humanitarian Access, https://www.unocha.org/es/node/66?gclid=Cj0KCQjw5-WRBhCKARIsAAId9FkP6mtM-
ryGtZMBvWVHKth9T0fTIrnljntUY3j6lAaanV7eICLilW5MaAvtLEALw_wcB, accessed 20.11.23
47) ICRC (2022), Twelve issues: What States can do to improve respect for IHL in 2022, https://www.icrc.org/en/document/
twelve-issues-what-states-can-do-improve-respect-ihl-2022, accessed 20.11.23
48) OCHA (2012), Access Monitoring and Reporting Framework
49) During international armed conflict this follows Article 70 (1) of Additional Protocol I. The issue of humanitarian assis-
tance and access is not expressly addressed in Article 3 common to the four Geneva Conventions. However, article 18(2) of
Additional Protocol II provides that relief actions shall be undertaken subject to the consent of the affected state. Under the
law of occupation, there is a clear obligation for the Occupying Power to ensure that the basic needs of the population under
its control are fulfilled. This mainly results from Article 55(1) of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which provides that the Oc-
cupying Power has the duty to ensure the provision of food and medical supplies for the civilian population.
50) ICRC’s International Humanitarian Law Database Rule 55 https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule55,
accessed 30.11.23
51) ICRC’s International Humanitarian Law Database Rule 53 https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule53,
accessed 30.11.23
52) International Court of Justice (2004), Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Terri-
tory, Advisory Opinion, para. 106. See also International Commission of Inquiry (2005), Report of the International Commissi-
on on Darfur to the UN Secretary-General, para. 143; UN Human Rights Committee (2004), General Comment No. 31, Nature
of the General Obligation on States Parties to the Covenant, CCPR/C/21/Rev.1/Add.13, para. 11
53) United Nations (1989), Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article. 22(1); also see: Article. 6, 24 and 27
54) International Criminal Court (2011), Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, Art. 8(2)(b), 8(2)(e)
55) Attacks include the targeting of schools or medical facilities that cause the total or partial destruction of such facilities.
Other interferences to the normal operation of the facility may also be reported, such as the occupation, shelling, targeting for
propaganda of, or otherwise causing harm to schools or medical facilities or their personnel.

56) J Martston, ICRC (2023), Protecting education from non-state armed group attacks - Global Coalition to Protect Educati-
on from Attack, https://protectingeducation.org/news/protecting-education-from-non-state-armed-group-attacks/, accessed
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57) GCPEA (2015), The Safe Schools Declaration, https://ssd.protectingeducation.org/, accessed 17.11.23
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62) UN annual report on children and armed conflict 2023, p 31
63) For definition see appendix 1, page 47
64) Education Cluster – Democratic Republic of Congo (2023) Fact sheet: Ecoles Attaquees/Detruites/Fermees/Inceniees,
Janvier-Decembre 2022
65) OCHA, Financial Tracking Service, the Democratic Republic of Congo 2022, https://fts.unocha.org/countries/52/summa-
ry/2023, Accessed 17.11.23
66) M Mutushayi (2023), Minister of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Actions and National Solidarity, Democratic Republic of
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71) IDMC, Country profile: Burkina Faso, https://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/burkina-faso, accessed 17.11.23
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74) OCHA (2023), Plan de Réponse Humanitaire Burkina Faso
75) IDMC, Country Profile: Nigeria, https://www.internal-displacement.org/countries/nigeria, accessed 17.11.23
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77) Regional Education in Emergencies Working Group (2022), Education Under Attack in West and Central Africa 2022
Update
78) A Jama (2023), Foreign Minister of Somalia, Statement given at the Conference on Protecting Children in
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79) OCHA (2022), Syria Arab Republic: Humanitarian Needs Overview 2023
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90) Ibid
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Eglantyne Jebb said “All
«All wars,
wars,
whether just or
ot unjust, disastrous
or victorious, are waged against
the child.»
child.”
THE WAR ON
CHILDREN
MUST STOP
data.stopwaronchildren.org

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THE WAR

LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

whoever they want to be.

Names of children portrayed in case studies

© Save the Children 2023 Eglantyne Jebb said

The war on children must stop.

Want to explore the data we make use of here in

The war on children – time to

2 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

1 CHILDREN LIVING IN CONFLICT ZONES.............................................................6

2 GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN CONFLICT.................................17

3 THE 10 WORST CONFLICT COUNTRIES TO BE A CHILD IN 2022................. 31

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 3

VICTORIOUS, ARE WAGED

AGAINST THE CHILD.”

4 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

PROTECTING CHILDREN IN GAZA

“WE WANT TO LIVE LIKE • allow humanitarian convoys to reach UN

WHO CAN PLAY IN PLAYGROUNDS

INSTEAD OF HIDING FROM

BOMBS. WE WANT GAZA TO BE • allow patients in critical condition to be

WE STILL HAVE HOPE. BUT WE

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 5

6 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

8 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

ACT NOW • Support children’s resilience and recovery:

• Hold perpetrators to account:

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 9

“IT IS NEITHER FAIR

EXPLOSIONS, SMOKE, FIRE,

AND THE LOSS OF

INNOCENT LIVES AND protection champions, the impact of funding gaps

By failing to prioritise child protection in conflict,

Why was the 2023 Oslo Conference convened?

10 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

As the UN’s Special Representative of the Secretary- UNRAVEL ESTABLISHED LAWS

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 11

“WE DON’T HAVE MAGIC POWERS, BUT YOU DO!”

* Name changed to protect anonymity.

12 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

“I WANT TO REALISE MY DREAM, BUT I NEED

“MY CALL TO ACTION FOR THE

CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED.”

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 13

FIGURE 1. NUMBER AND SHARE OF CHILDREN AT RISK, 1990–2022

14 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

Share of children living in conﬂict affected zones

Share of children who are conflict-affected:

A: Number of children (millions) B: Share of children

Conﬂict zone Non-conﬂict zone

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 15

ACTION NOW TO END CULTURE OF IMPUNITY

16 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 17

HOW GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN IN CONFLICT

FIGURE 5. GRAVE VIOLATIONS AGAINST CHILDREN 2005–22

18 STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE

FIGURE 6. THE GENDERED NATURE OF VIOLATIONS

25,000 Boys Girls Unknown Total

STOP THE WAR ON CHILDREN – LET CHILDREN LIVE IN PEACE 19