NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – According to a recent United Nations assessment, global initiatives to eradicate violence against children are falling behind the 2030 target. The report reflects on twenty years of progress since the pivotal UN study on violence against children, emphasizing that conflict, displacement, climate-related threats, and online dangers continue to put millions of young lives at risk. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, compiled this latest review for the 81st UN General Assembly.
The report highlights that nearly 19% of children worldwide are now living in conflict zones, a significant rise from about 10% in the 1990s. As of the end of 2024, conflict and violence have displaced 48.8 million children, nearly tripling the figure recorded in 2010. This statistic includes refugee children, asylum seekers, and internally displaced children, underscoring the immense disruption faced by children in war-torn and insecure regions.
Climate change has emerged as a central challenge in global child protection efforts. Approximately 1.1 billion children are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards, with almost every child experiencing at least one climate-related threat. According to UNICEF, over 4 million children face six concurrent hazards, such as drought, extreme heat, floods, wildfires, tropical storms, and dust storms. These climate shocks can also disrupt access to education, healthcare, housing, and essential services.
Expanding Digital Risks Compound Challenges for Children
Online spaces are generating new concerns for children’s safety worldwide. The assessment states that approximately one in three internet users is under 18. Annually, more than 300 million children are victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse. During the past year, at least 1.2 million children reported their images being altered into sexually explicit deepfakes. Additional digital threats include cyberbullying, identity theft, trafficking, exposure to harmful content, and recruitment by criminal groups.
A 2025 survey conducted by M’jid’s office gathered insights from over 30,000 children across all regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed that cyberbullying had increased, and half of the children did not know where to report abuse or seek assistance. The report further identifies hate speech, privacy violations, and manipulated digital content as major concerns. The rise of artificial intelligence has introduced new abuse vectors, such as deepfakes and automated content creation, putting additional strain on existing child protection systems.
Call for Enhanced Prevention, Laws, and Child Engagement
The assessment advocates for national strategies emphasizing prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It recommends implementing stronger legislation against violence targeting children and improving data collection systems. Additionally, the report urges increased investment in child protection services and the creation of accessible reporting channels. To ensure online safety, measures should include enhanced privacy controls and safeguards across digital platforms and AI tools. The review also emphasizes empowering children to participate meaningfully in decisions impacting their safety and well-being.
These findings arrive at a critical juncture as governments face a limited window to achieve the 2030 goal of ending violence against children. M’jid has held her position since July 2019, conducting 65 country visits and engaging with senior officials at both national and local levels. The report estimates that the annual global cost of lost human capital due to mental health issues among children reaches $393 billion. The assessment concludes that current efforts are insufficient to meet the global target of eliminating violence against children by 2030.