UNICEF Reports Record 473 Million Children Living in Conflict Zones in 2024

UNICEF calls 2024 one of the worst years for children in conflict, with rising violence, displacement, and rights violations globally.

More than 473 million children, or one in six globally, now live in conflict zones, doubling the proportion since the 1990s, according to UNICEF.
UNICEF highlighted severe impacts on children, including displacement, malnutrition, lack of education, and exposure to violence and sexual abuse in regions like Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, Myanmar, and Lebanon.
The UN verified nearly 33,000 grave violations against children in 2023, with trends indicating even higher figures for 2024, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine.
Conflicts have disrupted access to essential services, leaving millions of children without healthcare, vaccinations, clean water, or education, and increasing vulnerability to diseases like measles and polio.
UNICEF has urged global leaders and conflict parties to prioritize children's well-being, warning against normalizing the devastating toll of unchecked wars on future generations.