A rapid escalation of hostilities and widespread deterioration in the humanitarian situation led to a surge of grave violations against children, highlights the eighth report of the UN Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict published today.
The report documents that 2,168 grave violations against 1,913 children were verified between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2023. This represents a shocking increase compared to the previous reporting period. Killing and maiming (1,525) was the highest verified violation, followed by the recruitment and use (277) and the rape and other forms of sexual violence against children (153). A dramatic rise in grave violations was observed following the eruption of hostilities between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on 15 April 2023. Additionally, inter-communal violence continued to lead to violence against children, often owing to conflicts between pastoralists and farmers, mostly in the Darfur and Blue Nile states.
Further, the report details how the war in the Sudan has created unconscionable and catastrophic humanitarian consequences for children, who are facing starvation and an imminent risk of famine as humanitarian actors in Sudan continue to face significant obstructions in the delivery of humanitarian assistance. About 14 million children are in need of humanitarian aid and protection assistance, lacking access to food, water, shelter, electricity, education and health care. Additionally, about 19 million children in Sudan were out of school.
‘The situation in Sudan is catastrophic and the lives of children in Sudan are at stake, I urge parties to conflict to protect civilians and civilian objects, in full adherence to international humanitarian law and to engage with the United Nations to adopt and implement concrete child protection measures, including through action plans”, stated Virginia Gamba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.
Of further concern is the capacity gap left by UNITAMS termination and the departure of the mission’s dedicated child protection staff, which will not only impact the monitoring and reporting on grave violations against children but will also more generally reduce the presence of child protection staff on the ground, impeding engagement with parties to the conflict and efforts to mitigate and address child protection needs.
Continued Engagement Amidst Challenges
Prior to the escalation of hostilities on15 April 2023, progress was made notably in the implementation of the 2021 roadmap through the development of a national framework for the release and reintegration of children. As a result, the first joint verification mission by the United Nations and signatories to the Juba Peace Agreement took place in early 2023 and led to the release of 122 children from parties to the conflict. Despite the challenges faced with the rise of hostilities, the United Nations continued their engagement with all parties to the conflict during the reporting period.
‘I am appalled at the level of violence affecting children, the widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, including schools and medical facilities and the lack of effective efforts of parties to the conflict to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to suffering populations, including children. I urge all parties to immediately commit to a durable cessation of hostilities. The future of children in the Sudan depends on it,’ concluded Virginia Gamba.
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Overview of Grave Violations
Total verified violations against children: 2,168 grave violations
Recruitment and use: 277 children
Killing and maiming: 1,525 children (611 killed and 914 maimed)
Sexual violence: 153 children
Abductions: 33 children
Attacks on schools and hospitals: 118 attacks on 30 schools and 88 hospitals
Denial of humanitarian access: 62 incidents
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For additional information, please contact:
Ariane Lignier, Communications Officer, Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (ariane.lignier@un.org)
Instagram: @nochildreninwar, Twitter: @childreninwar
