This report from Save the Children identifies concerning trends for the safety and wellbeing of children living in areas impacted by conflict, through analysis of the United Nations Annual Reports of the Secretary General on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) and new research by the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The research utilizes figures that are published, independently verified and credible, but one of the key findings of the data mapping process is that there is a significant and worrying gap in child-specific data in conflicts.
The report highlights different concerns for children in armed conflict, including recruitment of children into armed forces and the abduction of children by armed groups resulting in family separation. The report presents key findings from the research, including the numbers of children who experience armed conflict, the impacts of exposure to armed conflict on children, and the areas of the globe where it is most prevalent. The report also outlines recommendations along four main themes: (1) Preventing children being put at risk, (2) Upholding international laws and standards, (3) Holding violators to account, and (4) Rebuilding shattered lives.
The specific policy recommendations under these themes are set out in section 3.1. The findings of this report are stark, and the message is clear – we need to take concerted, collective action to turn back the tide of brutality and indifference and better protect children in conflict.
View the online version of the report, with interactive maps and graphics, here.
