UN says record number of conflicts leave 473 million children affected

HAMILTON, Canada

A senior UN official warned Monday that children are facing unprecedented risks as the world experiences the highest number of armed conflicts since World War II, with grave violations and attacks on schools sharply increasing.

"This debate comes at a moment of exceptional relevance. Today, we face the highest number of armed conflicts since the Second World War. The number of civilians killed in these conflicts is the highest in decades," UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council, which was chaired by US first lady Melania Trump.

"Our reality is clear: when conflicts erupt, children are among those most severely affected," she said.

DiCarlo noted that the past two days have underscored the dangers facing children, with schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman closing and shifting to remote learning due to ongoing military operations in the region.

She also cited reports from Iran about the possible deaths of dozens of children following a strike on an elementary school in the town of Minab, adding US authorities have announced that they are looking into the reports.

Globally, one in every five children, 473 million, is living in or fleeing a conflict zone, she said, warning that grave violations against children verified by the UN increased by 25% from 2023 to 2024. Rape and other forms of sexual violence rose by 35%.

"In violent conflicts, schools can be one of the only safe spaces that protect children from recruitment, trafficking and exploitation,” DiCarlo said.

"Education in conflict zones is lifesaving and life-sustaining."

Yet she warned that schools, teachers and infrastructure continue to be targeted.

"In 2024 alone, the United Nations verified a total of 2,374 attacks on schools and hospitals. Many more are unverified due to lack of access," she said.

DiCarlo added that 234 million children in crisis and conflict situations currently need educational support, while 85 million are completely out of school.

She also warned that funding for education in emergencies has dropped by 24%, despite rising needs.

"To ensure that the opportunities provided by technology are realized, we must mitigate its risks. Children in conflict face heightened online threats: exploitation, trafficking, radicalization, digital recruitment into armed groups, and cyberbullying,” she said, while urging member states to close funding gaps in education.

"The most effective way to protect children from conflict is to prevent and end wars," she said.

For her part, Melania Trump, argued that "the path to peace depends on us taking responsibility to empower our children through education and technology."

"Conflict arises from ignorance, but knowledge creates understanding, replacing fear with peace and unity," she said, calling on the Council members to "safeguard learning in our communities and promote access to heightened education for all."