The findings come in the annual UN report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) which documents six main violations: killing and maiming, recruitment and use, abduction, rape and other forms of sexual violence, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
The report verified 38,558 grave violations committed in 2025 affecting 24,174 children, many of whom suffered multiple violations. A third of the victims were girls.
This marks the highest number of children affected since the UN established the CAAC mandate 30 years ago.
A dark chapter
For the first time, Government forces were the main perpetrators of grave violations against children, particularly killing and maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.
This worrying shift occurred amid hostilities, increasing use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, and growing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in targeting processes.
“2025 was without a doubt one of the darkest chapters for child protection since monitoring began,” said Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
“When States, on whom the obligation to protect children falls, instead contribute to their suffering, it signals the deeper erosion of respect for international law.”
Palestinian child Mohammad Hassan sitting on a hospital bed in Gaza after his left leg was amputated by a strike.
‘Surge’ in killing and maiming
The situations with the highest levels of violations were the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar and Somalia.
Where possible, violations were attributed to warring parties which are listed in annexes to the report.
Killing and maiming remained the most verified violations, with 6,266 children killed and another 7,958 maimed in 2025. Moreover, these violations reached “alarming levels, with a surge of 34 percent and 10 percent respectively,” the report noted.
“In many contexts, military strategies disregarded the principles of distinction and proportionality, the special protections afforded to children, and the obligation to take all feasible precautions, placing children in foreseeable and avoidable danger,” it said.
Blocked aid, rape and explosive weapons
Incidents of denial of humanitarian access followed at 8,322, while 6,607 children were recruited and used in hostilities. A further 5,129 children were abducted, often for recruitment, use or sexual violence.
Meanwhile, rape and other forms of sexual violence continued unabated, with increasing verified cases of gang rape used as a tactic of war.
Children also remained vulnerable to landmines and explosive remnants of war, which continue to kill and maim even after conflicts have ended, with lifelong consequences for survivors including disabilities, trauma and barriers to education and reintegration.
Rebuilding young lives
Last year, 1,667 children were detained for their actual or alleged association with warring parties. Ms. Frazier stressed that these children must be treated as victims and that detention must be a measure of last resort, while underlining that reintegration programmes are essential to peace.
“Reintegration is where a child’s future – and our future as humanity – is rebuilt,” she said, urging the international community to step up political and financial support for children released from armed forces and groups, including those with disabilities.
She further called on all parties to immediately allow safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian assistance.
Obligation to protect
The CAAC mandate turns 30 this year and although the situation for children deteriorated sharply in some areas last year, important advances did take place.
For example, 13,112 children formerly associated with armed forces or armed groups received protection or reintegration support, while some 40 commitments were taken by parties to conflict, including handover protocols, capacity building initiatives, unilateral commitments, and bilateral dialogues, in places such as Somalia, Ukraine, and Colombia.
Highlighting the anniversary, Ms. Frazier stressed that “words are not enough; durable and resolute actions are needed” as “protecting children is not an aspiration – it is an obligation.”
