What are the Six Grave Violations Against Children?

There is no place for childhood in war; however, millions of children are growing up in the middle of horrific violence and are affected by the following six grave violations in many ways.

In 2024, approximately 520 million children – one in five children globally – were living in a conflict zone.  

Children living in armed conflict are constantly under threat. From widespread killing, maiming, abduction, and sexual violence to recruitment into armed groups, and attacks on schools and hospitals, children living in conflict around the world continue to come under attack at an appalling rate.

In 2025 alone, 38,558 grave violations against children were verified worldwide. 

And in 2024, more than half of the verified grave violations occurred in just four countries: the occupied Palestinian territory, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Nigeria and Somalia.

But what exactly are grave violations? 

In the context of children living in conflict, a grave violation is an action that causes significant harm or poses a serious threat to the well-being and rights of children. These violations are usually severe in nature and demand immediate attention and intervention. Grave violations are broken down into one of six categories, which are:

In 2005, the United Nations Security Council established a Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) to systematically monitor, document and report on these six grave violations committed against children in conflict: 

1. Killing and maiming of children 

Often, children are killed or injured by crossfire, aerial bombardment, suicide attacks, shelling, and buried and forgotten landmines.  

In 2024, the highest reported numbers of children killed or maimed were in the occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia and the DRC.

2. Recruitment or use of children in armed forces and armed groups

In conflict settings, children are abducted and can be forced to join armed groups to escape poverty or to defend their communities.  

Sixteen-year-old Kabera* from the DRC, was threatened to be killed if he did not join the militia. “They trained me on how to assemble and disassemble the weapon, and how to do bad things. For example, how to kill people,” he says. Once Kabera left the militia, he was reintegrated back into his community with the support of a Save the Children local partner. Children like Kabera witness and experience horrific acts of violence which can lead to serious long-term psychological consequences. 

3. Attacks on schools or hospitals

Schools and hospitals must remain zones of peace for children even during conflict. When these institutions are attacked or destroyed, the disruption of services has detrimental effects on children. 

In South-east Ukraine, the invasion of Russian armed forces disrupted access to essential health care, “You go to the children’s clinic, air alarm, everyone is kicked out with their children, the child has a fever, no one is interested,” says a young mother.  

4. Rape or other grave sexual violence

Sexual violence can be a characteristic of war. In some instances, sexual violence has been used as a tactic of war designed to humiliate a population or to force displacement. Oftentimes when children endure this horrendous crime, they can experience long-term psychological trauma, sexually transmitted infections, early pregnancies, rejection by their families, and be forced to drop out of school. Girls and boys who are survivors of sexual violence may not report the crime because they are afraid of potential backlash and the stigma from harmful gender norms.  

In Sudan, girls face a disturbingly high number of sexual assault and rape by armed combatants. Between in 2025, 186 cases of sexual violence against girls were officially verified. However, it is believed that this number may be higher, as the UN became much less able to monitor, verify, and respond to serious human rights violations, in Sudan – along with the DRC and Mali – due to a reduction in UN peacekeeping efforts in these countries.

5. Abduction of children

Mass abductions of civilians, including children, are on the rise. Armed groups abduct children in greater numbers and use abductions as a tactic to terrorize or target ethnic groups or religious communities. 

In conflict zones, children who are abducted from their families can face brutal treatment. Abduction is usually followed by other grave violations like killing, maiming, recruitment into armed forces, or sexual violence. 

6. Denial of humanitarian access for children

In 2025, a total of 8,322 incidents of denial of humanitarian access were reported and verified in conflict areas. The denial of basic needs and supplies threatens the lives of people, especially children.  

As the crisis in Gaza rages on, humanitarian access is facing significant challenges. Emergency aid including, water, food, shelter and medicine has been prevented from entering the area, leaving millions of children and families facing famine like conditions and in desperate need of basic assistance.   

Standing up for children 

More than a century ago, Save the Children’s founder Eglantyne Jebb said, “All wars, whether just or unjust, disastrous or victorious, are waged against the child.” These words are even more meaningful today, since millions of children around the world face violence and conflict.  

The six grave violations highlight the significant impact of armed conflicts on children. They underscore the need for international efforts to protect all children and hold perpetrators accountable.  

As a child rights organization, it is our priority to protect and uphold the rights of children everywhere. When a conflict arises, we respond immediately and work with local partners to support children and provide essential aid.  

War disrupts childhoods and halts dreams. No child should have to grow up like this. We must stop the war on children. 

Sources:

Security For Whom? Stop the War on Children 2024 report

Children and Armed Conflict 2025 Report, United Nations General Assembly Security Council