The United Nations has ranked Nigeria among the top five countries with the worst child rights abuses in its 2024 report on Children and Armed Conflict, painting a grim picture of escalating violence and exploitation of minors in conflict zones across the globe.
According to the report released by the UN Secretary-General, the five worst-affected regions were Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, particularly Gaza, which recorded 8,554 verified grave violations against children; the Democratic Republic of Congo with 4,043 cases; Somalia with 2,568; Nigeria with 2,436; and Haiti with 2,269. The findings highlight how children are increasingly bearing the brunt of armed conflicts, either as victims of direct violence or as targets of systemic abuse. The report shows that schools and educational institutions are becoming dangerous spaces, with more than 6,000 attacks on students, educators, and school facilities between 2022 and 2023, representing a 44 percent increase compared to the previous period. Additionally, the military use of schools rose by 20 percent, putting thousands of children at risk and further undermining their right to education. Particularly alarming is the surge in sexual violence against children, which spiked by 35 percent in 2024, with gang rape cases seeing a sharp increase. Children subjected to multiple violations, such as abduction, forced recruitment, and sexual violence, rose from 2,684 in 2023 to 3,137 in 2024, marking a 17 percent rise.
The detention of children has also become a disturbing trend, with over 3,000 minors held due to alleged association with armed groups. UN officials stressed that such children should primarily be considered victims rather than criminals, emphasizing the need for protection and rehabilitation instead of punishment. The report further reveals that attacks on humanitarian workers escalated to unprecedented levels, with more UN staff and aid personnel killed in 2024 than in any previous year. This growing hostility toward humanitarian access threatens vital support systems for children in conflict areas. Despite the bleak outlook, the report also notes some progress.
In 2024, nearly 16,500 children formerly associated with armed groups were provided with protection and reintegration support. Since 2005, these efforts have helped more than 200,000 children leave combatant groups and begin rebuilding their lives. However, the scale of violations documented in 2024 underscores the urgent need for global action to protect children in armed conflicts. Nigeria’s inclusion in the top five countries with the worst child rights abuses highlights the severity of its internal security crises, particularly with ongoing insurgency and armed banditry in various regions.
The UN findings serve as a stark reminder to governments, humanitarian organizations, and the international community that children remain the most vulnerable in conflict and that safeguarding their rights is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative.