….13 per cent increase per day
The number of grave violations committed against children in times of war rose 13 per cent in 2022, to the highest level since reporting started in 2005, according to new analysis by Save the Children, with numbers of abuse in 2023 expected to rise even further.
This was contained in a report obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, ‘Stop the War on Children: Let children live in peace’, which shows that 27,638 grave violations were committed against children during conflict in 2022, with the killing and maiming of children having the highest number of reported and verified cases at 8,647.
The rights organisation said its followed by cases of recruitment and use of children in conflict, which increased by 20 per cent to 7,610 in 2022, adding that these violations represent the worst crimes that can be committed against children in conflict, including killing, maiming, abduction and sexual violence to recruitment into armed groups and strikes on schools and hospitals.
Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children International, Inger Ashing, said while these trends were devastating, the number of violations against children is expected to be even higher in 2023 due to the conflict in Sudan, which is now the world’s worst displacement crisis for children, and the ongoing bombardment of Gaza:
“It’s a terrible time to be a child in war. The global norms that were set up to protect children from the worst that could be committed against them are crumbling. The trends are all in the wrong direction – violations against children increasing year after year. In 2022 the data shows that there were 76 violations against children on average per day, although due to under-reporting we know this is likely to be only the tip of the iceberg.
“While the data is for 2022, we expect 2023 to be no better – indeed, we may reach new lows. The humanitarian crisis in Sudan – the worst displacement crisis on earth for children – has seen killing, horrific sexual violence, torture and maiming of children on a scale not witnessed for a generation.
“We have also seen children bearing the brunt of the conflict in Gaza, where over a million young lives are on the line. We are seeing hospitals become battlegrounds, and food and water supplies cut off. A definitive ceasefire is needed now, immediately, to stop the suffering in Gaza,” Ashing said.
According to the rights organisation, Children consulted for the report said that decision-makers must ensure the protection of all children who spend their childhood in areas where there is conflict, calling for protection from bombs, missiles and landmines, and from violence and abuse.
“When a rocket falls from the sky, it does not differentiate between a stone and a tree, and between a child and a young person,” Palestinian children’s council, Gaza was quoted to have said.
Also, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo, Gudrun Østby, said “The numbers of grave violations are extremely alarming. Especially since these verified cases likely represent only the tip of the iceberg. Any child growing up in conflict settings could be at risk of such violations. Our estimates for 2022 show one in six children were living less than 50 kms away from at least one conflict events. The international community must all its power to pressure warring parties to abide by international law and protect children.”
