More children than ever are living in conflict zones. And in each, children are being killed and maimed, displaced, denied humanitarian assistance, and cut off from school, health care and other services.
The scale of grave violations against children has reached unprecedented levels: The UN verified 38,558 grave violations against children in 2025 affecting 24,174 children. That’s the highest number of children affected since UN monitoring began nearly 30 years ago.
But size and scale are not the only problems. The way war is waged is increasingly creating unique and compounding risks for children.
1. Explosive weapons in populated areas put children in the crosshairs
The data cannot be ignored: when explosive weapons are used in cities and towns, civilians suffer the most.
Armed conflict is increasingly taking place in urban and populated areas. Neighborhoods become frontlines, and civilians are caught in the crosshairs.
While explosive weapons were designed for fighting in open spaces, they are now regularly used in towns and cities. The vast majority – 96% – of casualties of explosive weapons in populated areas are civilians. And explosive weapons are now the leading cause of death and injury to children in conflict settings.
Technological developments, including the growing use of drones and artificial intelligence, are increasing these harms while also having less oversight and accountability.
2. Children experience conflict differently than adults – with lifelong consequences
Children are particularly vulnerable to the physical and psychological effects of conflict. When it comes to explosive weapons, children are more likely to die or suffer life-threatening injuries. They are also more likely to sustain multiple injuries.
And for children who survive, the psychological impact can be devastating. Children can experience anxiety, PTSD, depression, fear, aggression, and emotional withdrawal, and these consequences can persist long after the fighting ends.
3. Destruction of infrastructure is disrupting childhoods
A house, school, hospital, water treatment centre – these aren’t just buildings, they provide the safety, security, services and resources that support children’s survival, development, and wellbeing.
Yet attacks on civilian infrastructure continue at an alarming pace. In 2025, the UN verified 2,493 attacks on schools and hospitals.
4. Aid is under attack
In 2025, 350 aid workers were killed in conflict – second only to the record 383 killed the previous year. Also in 2025, the UN registered 8,322 incidents of denial of humanitarian access to children, a figure that has steadily climbed in recent years.
5. States are investing in war, not peace
While governments are increasing military spending, they are cutting vital humanitarian, development and peacebuilding assistance. Humanitarian funding fell by 30% between 2022 and 2025, and development assistance dropped 23% in 2025 alone. These cuts have left children with even fewer resources to help ensure their survival and support their development.
6. Failure to hold perpetrators accountable has led to an era of impunity
Despite States’ responsibility to protect civilians and children affected by conflict, grave violations against children continue to rise – and States are now the main perpetrators.
In 2025, government forces were for the first time the main perpetrators of grave violations against children. And for the fourth consecutive year, state armed forces and associated armed actors were primarily responsible for the killing and maiming of children, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
When acting without consequence becomes the norm and attacks on children commonplace, we have failed.
So, what can States do?
States have the ability – and the obligation – to reverse these trends and uphold their commitments to protect children in conflict. There are several ways for States to take meaningful action:
Renew commitments to uphold international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Endorse and implement applicable legal frameworks and political commitments and publicly reaffirm obligations for all parties to conflict to uphold international humanitarian law (IHL) and applicable international human rights law (IHRL) in all armed conflicts, including specific protections for children.
Avoid the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. States should endorse – and meaningfully implement – the Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) Declaration and other commitments that are designed to strengthen protections for civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Strengthen and reinforce child and civilian protection throughout military preparation and operations. States should integrate child-specific standards in weapons development and military engagement, implement laws to regulate the use of new technologies – including AI – in warfare, and increase scrutiny of arms transfers and military assistance.
Ensure accountability for violations. Uphold obligations to pursue accountability for all serious violations of IHL and IHRL. States should defend and reinforce the independence and authority of the International Criminal Court and impose targeted sanctions against individuals and entities implicated in serious violations.
Strengthen independent monitoring, investigation, and reporting of grave violations against children, including by resourcing and supporting the UN Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism 227 to comprehensively and impartially track and report on grave violations against children.
Redouble investment in children’s protection and well-being by recognising and funding child protection, education and mental health and psychosocial support as life-saving interventions for children. Investment in evidence-based, integrated programming is critical to ensure limited resources have maximum impact.
