The United Nations has ranked Nigeria among the top five countries with the most severe child rights violations in armed conflict, alongside Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (notably Gaza), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, and Haiti.
The findings are contained in the UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict (2024), which paints a grim picture of escalating violence against children in war-torn regions.
Sharp Rise in Attacks on Schools
Between 2022 and 2023, there were about 6,000 attacks on students, teachers, and schools — a staggering 44% increase compared to previous years. The UN warned that “no child should risk death to learn,” stressing that such violations undermine not just individual futures but entire communities.
The report also revealed that the military use of schools increased by 20%, while over 10,000 students were killed, abducted, arrested, or injured in just one year.
Nigeria Among the Worst-Hit
In 2024, verified cases of grave violations were highest in:
- Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory – 8,554 cases
- DR Congo – 4,043 cases
- Somalia – 2,568 cases
- Nigeria – 2,436 cases
- Haiti – 2,269 cases
The report further highlighted a 34% surge in sexual violence, with many cases involving gang rape. Children suffering multiple abuses — such as abduction, forced recruitment, and sexual violence — rose by 17%, marking what the UN called “an alarming escalation in brutality.”
Children Detained, Childhoods Stolen
More than 3,000 children were detained in 2024 for their alleged association with armed groups, an increase from previous years. The UN stressed that such children should be treated primarily as victims, not criminals.
Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, condemned the ongoing abuses, warning that children caught in war are being robbed of their childhoods while governments and armed groups continue to flout international law.
The report also raised alarms about the growing dangers facing humanitarian workers, with 2024 recording the highest number of aid workers — including UN staff — killed in conflict zones.
Call for Action on Education
Marking the sixth International Day to Protect Education from Attack, the UN renewed its call for countries to implement the Safe Schools Declaration and invest in resilient education systems that guarantee safe learning environments. A high-level event on the theme “Challenging Narratives, Reshaping Action” will be held in Geneva to commemorate the day.
Despite worsening conditions in Nigeria, Gaza, Somalia, and elsewhere, the report noted some progress: nearly 16,500 children formerly linked to armed groups were released and given reintegration support in 2024, up from the previous year. Since 2005, over 200,000 children have been freed from conflict parties.
