Violence against children in conflicts skyrockets, with 31,000 documented cases in 2023

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MADRID 31 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The levels of violence against children in conflict areas and contexts skyrocketed in 2023 to unprecedented levels, according to a report by the NGO Save the Children that documents more than 31,700 cases and reflects that some 473 million minors, 19 percent percent of the total lived in war zones.

The year 2023 closed with a daily average of 86 crimes against children, including 31 children murdered or mutilated every 24 hours. In total, the NGO has recorded more than 11,300 cases of murder or mutilation, 31 percent more than in 2022, while denials of humanitarian access exceeded 5,100, eleven times more than a decade ago.

The Palestinian Territories are one of the main sources of violence against children, at the dawn of an escalation that has continued to skyrocket in 2024. In 2023, more than 8,400 serious violations were verified, 170 percent more than the previous year, which makes it the most dangerous place in the world for children.

They are followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with about 3,800, and Somalia, with about 2,300, although the greatest increase has been recorded by Sudan, which has gone from 317 cases to more than 1,700 in appeals in a year, as a result of the outbreak of the conflict between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Violence implies expenses of 19.1 trillion dollars (17.5 trillion euros), while the deficit of investments in peace and conflict prevention, as established by the Sustainable Development Goals, amounts to 4 trillion dollars ( about 3.7 billion euros), according to the report’s conclusions. On the opposite side, global military spending increased to 2.4 trillion dollars (2.2 trillion euros).

The executive director of Save the Children, Inger Ashing, has stated that this “devastating” study “leaves no room for doubt” and shows that “the world is becoming more dangerous for children.” In this sense, he has warned of the “devastating consequences” of increasing military spending while cutting back on conflict prevention.