children lived in active conflict zones in 2024

More than one in five children globally were in conflict-affected areas during 2024 – the highest number ever recorded.

grave violations against children were verified by the UN in 2024

+25% from 2023. The highest number since the UN began registering grave violations against children in armed conflicts.

increase in crimes against children in conflicts in 2024

Crimes against children in armed conflicts increased by 30 percent in 2024 compared to the previous year.

increase in sexual violence against children in conflict over 5 years

Sexual violence against children in armed conflicts has increased by 50 percent over the past five years.

seconds a child is injured, killed or displaced in the Middle East/North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa region, children live in constant danger: every five seconds a child is affected by the direct consequences of war.

armed conflicts ongoing globally in 2025

The number of active armed conflicts globally is at its highest level since the end of the Cold War. The majority take place in countries with a high proportion of children in the population.

children killed or maimed in conflicts in 2024

The UN verified over 12,000 cases of killed and maimed children during 2024 – the actual number is significantly higher.

attacks on hospitals and schools verified by the UN in 2024

Hospitals, schools and places of worship are legally protected targets under international law – but attacks on them are common and in many cases systematic.

child soldiers in South Sudan

South Sudan has one of the world's highest concentrations of child soldiers. Children are recruited by both government forces and armed groups.

children recruited by Boko Haram and ISIS in West Africa

Boko Haram and ISIS-WA recruit children – sometimes from school environments – and use them as suicide bombers, soldiers and slave laborers.

recruitment of child soldiers is on the rise in 2025

The UN reports in 2025 that the global recruitment of child soldiers is increasing for the third year in a row, driven by new conflicts in Africa and the Middle East.

years – the international minimum age for military service that is systematically violated

Despite the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child setting the minimum age at 18 for direct participation in combat, children are recruited in at least 20 countries by state or non-state actors.

countries with verified child soldiers in 2024

In 28 countries, the recruitment and use of child soldiers was documented in 2024, an increase from 24 countries in 2020.

children in Yemen need urgent humanitarian support

Yemen is home to the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition – with Western arms support – has bombed the country.

children killed or injured in Yemen during 2025

A child is killed or injured on average every day in Yemen during 2025. Hospitals, schools and markets have been systematically bombed.

children in Yemen suffer from acute malnutrition

2.2 million Yemeni children under 5 suffer from acute malnutrition – the most severe form that leads to irreversible damage or death.

schools destroyed or closed in Yemen since 2015

More than 3,500 schools have been destroyed, damaged or occupied by armed actors since the start of the war in 2015. An entire generation of Yemeni children has grown up without education.

of Yemen's population are children under 18

Yemen is one of the youngest countries in the world demographically – half the population are children. This means the war's proportional impact on children is unparalleled.

civilians killed in verified Saudi airstrikes

The UN's investigative commission has verified 4,000+ civilian deaths in Saudi airstrikes in Yemen, including direct bombing of weddings, funerals and markets.

children in Gaza need urgent humanitarian support

Almost all children in Gaza show signs of traumatic stress. 625,000 school children lack education. Every five seconds a child is injured, killed or displaced in Middle Eastern conflicts.

children killed in Gaza since October 2023

More than 17,000 children are estimated to have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023 – the highest number of child victims in a single conflict in decades.

of Gaza's population has been displaced at least once

Almost the entire population of Gaza – 2.3 million people – has been displaced from their homes since October 2023. Many have been displaced multiple times.

of Gaza's population was in acute food insecurity in 2024

During periods of 2024, the UN food agency IPC found that 100% of Gaza's population was in acute food insecurity – a unique case in modern history.

of Gaza's schools have been damaged or destroyed

80 percent of Gaza's school buildings have been damaged or completely destroyed since October 2023. University campuses and cultural institutions have been systematically bombed.

hospitals out of service in Gaza since October 2023

Of Gaza's 36 hospitals, the majority have ceased functioning during the war as a result of bombings, fuel shortages and evacuation orders.

schools destroyed in Ukraine since 2022

Systematic attacks on educational infrastructure – 'educide' – aim to crush an entire generation's future. 7.5 million children have been displaced.

children displaced in Ukraine since the invasion in 2022

7.5 million Ukrainian children have been displaced – either internally or as refugees in Europe. It is the fastest child refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

civilian casualties in Ukraine verified by the UN as of 2025

The UN's monitoring mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has verified 19,500+ civilian casualties since 2022. The real figure is likely 2–3 times higher.

Ukrainian children deported to Russia – ICC indictment point

The ICC has issued arrest warrants against Putin and children's ombudsman Lvova-Belova for the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia – a war crime and possible act of genocide.

Ukrainians permanently displaced in Europe

Four million Ukrainians – a large proportion of whom are children – remain abroad as refugees in Europe in 2025.

children displaced in Sudan – one of the world's most ignored crises

Sudan's humanitarian crisis is one of the world's most under-prioritized. The RSF militia recruits child soldiers and commits sexual violence systematically.

Sudanese need urgent humanitarian support – the world's worst hunger crisis

Sudan is now home to the world's worst hunger crisis with 25 million people in acute food insecurity and famine in parts of Darfur.

civilians killed in Sudan since April 2023

More than 12,000 civilians have been killed since the conflict broke out in April 2023 – the majority in Darfur and Khartoum. The real figure is believed to be many times higher.

children in Sudan suffer from acute malnutrition

3.5 million Sudanese children under 5 suffer from acute malnutrition. Medical organizations warn that child mortality rates are rising rapidly.

of Sudan's schools in conflict zones are closed

In the worst-affected states of Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan, up to 80% of schools are closed due to conflict, occupation by armed groups or destruction.

children displaced in Myanmar since the military coup in 2021

Since the military coup in 2021, the civil war in Myanmar has displaced 3 million people, a large proportion of whom are children. Ethnic minorities such as Karen, Kachin and Rohingya are hit hardest.

civilians killed by Myanmar's military junta since 2021

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has documented 5,000+ civilian deaths as a result of the military junta's operations since the coup in 2021.

Rohingya children in refugee camps in Bangladesh

More than 600,000 Rohingya children live in the world's largest refugee camp – Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh – without access to formal education or future prospects.

schools and educational facilities attacked in Myanmar since 2021

The junta has attacked and burned down 1,600+ schools and educational sites since 2021 – a systematic pattern of educational sabotage.

children globally need educational support in crisis situations

Education Cannot Wait (ECW) estimates that 224 million children in crisis situations need humanitarian support to be able to go to school.

schools and educational sites attacked globally in 2024

The UN verified 9,000+ attacks on the education sector – schools, teachers and students – during 2024, the highest figure since registration began.

children in conflict zones lack access to primary school

127 million children in or near conflict zones lack access to primary school education – almost double compared to 2010.

of Gaza school children suffer from acute psychological distress

Studies from 2024 show that 75% of children in Gaza show symptoms of acute psychological distress – anxiety, PTSD, depression and sleep disorders – that affect learning opportunities.

children lack education due to climate-related crises

Climate change is driving more and more children out of school: floods, extreme heat, drought and climate displacement affect the education system in poor countries the most.

global military spending in 2024 – the highest level in history

Global military spending reached an all-time high in 2024, driven by the war in Ukraine, the Middle East and accelerated NATO rearmament.

USA – the world's largest arms exporter 2021–2025

The US tops global arms exports with Saudi Arabia as the main recipient. France is #2, Russia #3 according to SIPRI March 2026.

BAE Systems sold weapons to Saudi Arabia during the Yemen war

BAE Systems sold weapons systems worth £17.6 billion to Saudi Arabia during the Yemen war. The UK's Court of Appeal declared the sales illegal in 2019 – but they continued.

total global cost of armed conflicts

The total economic cost of armed conflicts – including direct and indirect costs – amounts to $19 trillion globally.

increase in global arms flows in 2024

Global arms flows increased by almost 10% during 2024, driven primarily by European demand and the war in Ukraine.

Lockheed Martin's revenues in 2024 – record level

Lockheed Martin reported record revenues of $71 billion in 2024. The share price rose 40% during 2023–2024 in parallel with escalating conflicts.

proposed US defense budget for 2027 – historic record level

The Trump administration proposed in 2025 a defense budget of $1.5 trillion for 2027 – more than the next ten countries combined.

critical period of brain development that war destroys

Chronic stress and trauma during the first 18 years causes measurable neurological damage – PTSD, cognitive impairments and emotional dysregulation.

increase in missing persons registered by the Red Cross over 5 years

The number of missing persons registered by ICRC increased by 70 percent over five years – a direct measure of war's devastation for families.

risk of mental illness for children who have experienced war

Research shows that children exposed to armed conflict have a three times higher risk of serious mental illness in adulthood compared to children who grew up in peace.

lower lifetime income for children who miss school during war

Economic research shows that each lost school year in conflict zones correlates with 8–10% lower lifetime income. Children who miss 3+ school years risk 30% lower income as adults.

risk of trafficking for children displaced by conflict

Displaced children – especially unaccompanied ones – face twice the risk of being subjected to trafficking, sexual exploitation and forced labor compared to non-displaced children.