Children’s protection must be priority in war zones

The world has increasingly witnessed hundreds of millions of heartbreaking images of children in war zones, highlighting a catastrophic global crisis and serving as stark calls to action for the international community.
“Children are far too often among the primary victims, paying a terrible and unacceptable price,” observed Nada Al Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, while delivering a speech at the annual meeting on the Rights of the Child last March.
Children, who make up nearly half of the global population affected by conflict, often remain unseen victims. They are undoubtedly among the most vulnerable and have been the most neglected.
In armed conflicts across the Middle East, Africa, and other regions, children are killed, injured, forcibly recruited as child soldiers, kidnapped, and subjected to violence. Schools and hospitals are targeted, and children often lack access to essential, life-saving humanitarian aid.
The implications extend far beyond the present moment. Decades of missed schooling, psychological trauma, and lasting emotional wounds continue to affect communities for generations to come.
The United Nations children's organisation, Unicef, reports that hundreds of thousands of children have been killed, left permanently disabled, orphaned, or displaced due to armed conflicts.
“Children, who represent roughly half of the world's population affected by conflict, largely remain invisible victims. They are, without a doubt, among the most vulnerable and have been left furthest behind,” it notes.
On February 28, the first day of the US conflict with Iran, widespread bombings devastated a school in southern Iran, resulting in the deaths of nearly 170 children. Leaders in humanitarian aid and public health condemned the act as intolerable.
In Gaza, the situation is tragic. The region currently has the highest per capita rate of child amputees worldwide, with many children undergoing multiple amputations.
While heartbreaking, the loss of children during war is not uncommon. Millions of children endure prolonged conflicts in regions such as the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, and many other areas.
Over one in five children worldwide live in countries and regions affected by military conflict, according to a 2024 report by Save the Children, often becoming unintended victims.
Reports indicate that since 2010, the number of children living in conflict zones has increased by 60 per cent. Approximately 50 million children worldwide have been forced to leave their homes.
Children’s rights are comprehensively protected by international human rights law and international criminal law. Nations are obligated to safeguard all children within their jurisdiction without discrimination based on age, gender, disability, or any other status.
Although Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that every child has the right to formal education, “more than 32 million children worldwide have never had the opportunity to see a teacher due to armed conflict.” However, the failure to enforce international human rights law is fundamentally political. UN member states are obligated to serve as the principal upholders of the international legal order. Yet their responses to violations against children remain inconsistent, largely passive, and often influenced by geopolitical interests.
While some condemn abuses in certain contexts, silence or ambiguity prevails in others. The selective application of norms and inconsistencies in accountability undermine the law.
Global leaders need to consistently condemn violations against children, regardless of who is involved. They must also ensure full compliance with international humanitarian law, including the safe delivery of humanitarian services to create safe spaces for children.
Children exposed to war need safety, security, and stability. They also require affection, love, and social connection - elements often overlooked in conflict situations.
While the world is set to observe International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression on June 4, to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout and affirm the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children, this day too should not pass like many other days with a satirical twist that “there is now a day for everything.”