NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – According to a new United Nations report, global efforts to eradicate violence against children are not on track to meet the 2030 deadline. The assessment reviews two decades of advancements since the landmark UN study on violence affecting children. It highlights ongoing risks such as conflict, forced displacement, climate-related hazards, and digital abuse that continue to threaten millions of young lives. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, authored this latest review for the 81st UN General Assembly.
The report states that nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in conflict zones. During the 1990s, this figure was close to 10%. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children. This number is almost three times higher than the figure recorded in 2010. It includes refugee children, asylum seekers, and internally displaced minors. These statistics emphasize the significant disruption faced by children in areas affected by war and insecurity.
Climate-related threats have become a central component of the global child protection challenge. Approximately 1.1 billion children are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards. Almost every child encounters at least one climate risk. According to UNICEF, more than 4 million children face six overlapping hazards. These dangers include drought, extreme heat, floods, wildfires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms. Such climate shocks can also interfere with schooling, health services, housing, and access to essential resources.
Digital Environment Presents Increasing Dangers for Young People
Online spaces introduce additional safety concerns for children globally. About one in three internet users is under 18. The assessment reports that over 300 million children are victims of online sexual exploitation and abuse annually. It also notes that at least 1.2 million children had their images manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the past year. Other digital threats include cyberbullying, identity theft, trafficking, harmful content, and recruitment for criminal activities.
A 2025 survey conducted by M’jid’s office gathered responses from more than 30,000 children from all regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children surveyed did not know where to report abuse or seek assistance. The report also identifies hate speech, privacy violations, and manipulated digital content as major concerns. Artificial intelligence has introduced new forms of abuse, such as deepfakes and automated content creation, which put additional pressure on existing child protection systems.
Call for Enhanced Prevention, Legal Frameworks, and Child Involvement
The assessment emphasizes the need for national strategies centered on prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It advocates for stronger legislation against violence targeting children and improved systems to gather reliable data. The report also recommends increased investment in child protection services and accessible reporting channels. To ensure digital safety, measures should include enhanced privacy controls and safeguards on online platforms and AI systems. Additionally, the review supports involving children meaningfully in decisions that impact their safety and well-being.
These findings come at a critical time as governments work within a shrinking timeframe to reach the 2030 goal of ending violence against children. M’jid has held her role since July 2019, conducting 65 country-level visits and engaging with senior officials from national and local governments during this period. The report estimates that the global economic cost of lost human capital due to mental health issues among children amounts to $393 billion annually. Overall, the assessment concludes that current progress remains insufficient to achieve the international target.