NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – According to a new United Nations assessment, global progress toward eliminating violence against children remains off track for the 2030 deadline. The report reflects on twenty years since the landmark UN study on violence targeting children. It highlights ongoing exposure of millions of children to risks caused by conflict, forced displacement, climate-related threats, and digital abuse. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, prepared this latest review for the 81st UN General Assembly.
The report states that nearly 19% of children around the world now reside in conflict zones, a significant increase from the nearly 10% during the 1990s. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children, almost tripling the number recorded in 2010. This figure includes refugee children, asylum seekers, and those displaced within their own countries, underlining the vast scale of upheaval faced by children living in war-affected and insecure regions.
Climate-related threats have become a central element of the global child protection challenge. Approximately 1.1 billion children face at least three overlapping climate hazards, and nearly all children are exposed to at least one climate risk. According to UNICEF, more than 4 million children confront six overlapping hazards, which include drought, extreme heat, floods, wildfires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms. Such climate shocks can disrupt essential services such as schooling, healthcare, and housing.
Digital dangers add to the threats children face
The online environment introduces new safety concerns for children worldwide. Approximately one in three internet users is under 18. The assessment cites that over 300 million children experience online sexual exploitation and abuse each year. During the past year alone, at least 1.2 million children had their images altered into sexually explicit deepfakes. Other digital risks encompass cyberbullying, identity theft, trafficking, harmful content, and criminal recruitment.
A 2025 survey conducted by M’jid’s office gathered input from over 30,000 children across different regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed that cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children surveyed did not know where to report abuse or where to seek assistance. The report highlights hate speech, privacy violations, and manipulated digital content among the major issues. The rise of artificial intelligence has also introduced new forms of abuse through deepfakes and automated content creation, intensifying existing challenges for child safety systems.
The report advocates for enhanced prevention efforts and accountability measures
The assessment recommends the development of national strategies emphasizing prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It urges the implementation of stronger laws to combat violence against children and improved mechanisms for collecting accurate data. The report also calls for increased investment in child protection services and accessible reporting channels. Digital safety measures should include reinforced privacy controls and safeguards across online platforms and artificial intelligence systems. Furthermore, the review advocates for actively involving children in decisions that influence their safety and well-being.
As governments confront a shrinking window to achieve the 2030 goal of ending violence against children, these findings underscore the urgency. M’jid has held her role since July 2019, conducting 65 country visits and engaging with senior officials at national and local levels. The report estimates that the global annual cost of lost human capital related to children’s mental health issues amounts to $393 billion. The assessment concludes that current efforts are not sufficient to reach the global target on time.