In war, children suffer the most

Over 400 million children live in countries where there is war or other violent conflicts. Often forced to flee their homes in search of safety, many remain displaced for extended periods. Some are orphaned or separated from parents and caregivers.

Over half of all civilians killed by landmines and explosive remnants of war are children. Verified attacks on children have tripled since 2010.

UNICEF is meeting the urgent needs of children impacted by wars in Syria, Ukraine, and Yemen.

Recurring violence also endangers children in the Central African Republic (CAR), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, South Sudan and Sudan. Boko Haram, a violent Islamist insurgency, has terrorized communities around West Africa’s Lake Chad Basin for years.

In all of these countries and regions, UNICEF is there, delivering lifesaving support.

Children are especially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and trafficking during emergencies and armed conflicts. As violence against children increases, perpetrators are rarely held accountable for the killing, maiming, sexual violence, abductions, and armed recruitment of children, or for attacks on schools and hospitals.