New report shows over 400 million children grow up in war zones
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Nearly one in six children around the world — 415 million children in all — were living in a conflict zone in 2018, more than double the figure recorded in 1995, according to a report released Thursday by Save the Children.
Children in Africa were the worst affected, with 170 million living in war zones, the study found. In the Middle East nearly one in three children was surrounded by conflict.
The report also found record numbers of children being subjected to grave human rights violations, such as killing and maiming, recruitment by armed forces, abduction, attacks on schools or hospitals, denial of humanitarian access, and rape or other forms of sexual violence.
Out of individual countries, the highest number of children living in high-intensity conflict zones was found in Nigeria, Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Afghanistan.
The study pointed out that 2019 represented the 18th year of conflict in Afghanistan and that no child there was born into peace.
Similar circumstances faced successive generations of children in the DRC, Somalia and South Sudan.
“It’s staggering that the world stands by while children are targeted with impunity,” the charity’s chief executive Inger Ashing said in a statement.
“Since 2005, at least 95,000 children were recorded to have been killed or maimed, tens of thousands of children abducted, and millions of children denied access to education or health services after their hospitals were attacked.”
Incidents of “grave violations” against children have risen by 170% since 2010, according to the study, titled “Stop the War on Children.” Since 2010, there has been a 34% increase in the number of children living in conflict zones.
Ashing added that “the destruction of children’s lives” will continue if governments around the world fail to take measures to protect them, and if those responsible for crimes are not held to account.
