Every war is a war waged against children. From the decades-old conflicts in Iraq to Syria, South Sudan to Yemen, Afghanistan to the current war in Ukraine, children are caught up in violence, which is not of their making.
Around the world, millions of childhoods have been torn apart in the wars. Children are killed and wounded, abused and recruited, uprooted and denied their rights to live. In several cases they are directly exposed to war.
Their schools are destroyed and essentials for their survival and well-being blocked, critical infrastructure including hospitals and water and sanitation systems devastated by the fighting in those countries.
According to a report by Unicef, during the period between 2005 and 2020, more than 266,000 grave violations were verified against children, committed by parties to conflict in more than 30 conflict situations across Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
As much as 47 per cent of all child casualties in 2020, according to a UN report, were caused by explosive weapons and explosive remnants of war. Between 2005 and 2020, more than 104,100 children were verified as killed or maimed in situations of armed conflict.
Between 2005 and 2020, more than 93,000 children were verified as recruited and used by parties to conflict, although the actual number of cases is believed to be much higher. A UN body confirmed the recruitment and use of at least 1,000 children in 15 different countries over this period.
During the same period, the UN body verified more than 13,900 incidents of attacks, including direct attacks where there has not been adequate distinction between civilian and military objectives. The warring parties never spare educational and medical facilities and protected persons, including pupils.
Equally pathetic is that parties to conflict abuse, forcibly marry, sexually exploit and commit other grave forms of violence. At least 14,200 children were victims to such atrocities during the period.
When it comes to abduction, as many as 25,700 children were verified as abducted by parties to conflict. Boys account for three quarters of verified instances of abducted children. However, girls remain at risk of being abducted, including for the purpose of sexual violence and exploitation.
Children living in conflict-affected settings suffer indirect consequences without access to basic needs including food, clean water, sanitation and education. They are more likely to die in childhood due to under-nutrition and a lack of medical care, including vaccinations.
As a report by WHO points out, having lost their childhood, war children may grow up wanting to compensate actively for that loss. The material and psychological deprivation that these children feel is expected to have a profound effect on their personality formation.
Recent studies have shown high levels of lethal stress in children who have lived in or fled from war zones, which can have a lifelong impact on their mental health and development. Some develop a resentment and anger leading to a chronic suspicion of others, while others develop an altruistic self-sacrificing attitude.
As a consequence, the insecurity these children feel is intensive; they become anxious and over-dependent. They often display a diminished capacity to trust in themselves or others, and harbour intense feelings of vulnerability.
Finally, a lingering war situation leaves children unclear about their future. Many convey a pessimistic view of what life has in store for them. Children are resilient but they shouldn’t have to be.
“Ultimately, children need an end to the wars as their futures hang in the balance”, as Unicef Deputy Executive Director Omar Abdi remarked.
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