Violence against children remains a deeply concerning scourge, both in its scale and its diversity. UN envoy Najat Maalla M’jid sounds the alarm. Among the figures she urges reflection and, more importantly, action on: one suicide is recorded every 11 minutes worldwide among 15-19-year-olds.
The UN reports "unprecedented” violence affecting hundreds of millions of children globally. This is the grim reality highlighted in a report presented by the Moroccan representative to the UN General Assembly.
Commenting on the report, the Special Representative on violence against children regrettably noted that violence against children has reached unprecedented levels, exacerbated by various factors such as conflicts, climate change, migration, sexual assaults, cyberbullying, forced marriages, mental illnesses, and suicides.
According to statistics compiled by UNICEF, over 370 million girls and women were raped or sexually assaulted before the age of 18. When including "non-contact” forms of sexual violence (verbal or online), this number rises to 650 million, representing one in five women.
Wars spare no one, not even the youngest. By the end of 2022, more than 450 million children were living in conflict zones, and 40% of the 120 million displaced persons worldwide were children. Another alarming statistic: 333 million children live in extreme poverty, and more than a billion children are at high risk of being affected by climate change, which acts as a "risk multiplier.”
Other factors compound the list of violences against children that the UN seeks to combat. Child labor affects 160 million children, and 640 million girls and women were forced into marriage during childhood. One in three students aged 13 to 15 is a victim of bullying, and 250 million children are out of school.
Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15-19-year-olds, with one suicide occurring every 11 minutes. As many psychiatrists and psychologists predicted, the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened mental health problems among young people.
Najat Maalla M’jid further emphasizes that children bear the heavy burden of these multiple crises. Nevertheless, the UN official believes that it is possible to end violence against children by investing massively in their protection and well-being.