NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations has issued a warning that efforts worldwide to combat violence against children are falling behind schedule for 2030. This assessment follows two decades after the landmark UN study on violence directed at children. According to a recent progress report, issues such as conflict, displacement, climate-related hazards, and digital abuse have significantly expanded the threats to child protection. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, authored this latest evaluation. The report will be reviewed during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly scheduled for this month.
The findings reveal that nearly 19% of children globally now reside in conflict zones, a stark increase from roughly 10% in the 1990s. By the close of 2024, conflict and violence had caused the displacement of 48.8 million children worldwide, nearly tripling the approximately 17 million displaced in 2010. This figure includes refugee and asylum-seeking children, as well as millions internally displaced by violence and conflict within their own countries.
Climate-related dangers are creating additional risks for children across the globe. Nearly half of all children—around 1.1 billion—are exposed to at least three overlapping climate hazards. According to UNICEF’s climate risk assessment for 2026, almost every child faces at least one such threat, with over 4 million children confronted with up to six concurrent hazards. These include drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Digital environments escalate child safety concerns
The UN assessment also emphasizes that digital spaces have broadened the spectrum of dangers targeting children. Data indicates that about one in three internet users worldwide is under 18. Each year, more than 300 million children encounter online sexual exploitation and abuse, according to the UN office. Additionally, at least 1.2 million children reported that artificial intelligence had created sexually explicit deepfakes of their images in the past year. Other online threats include cyberbullying, fraud, identity theft, trafficking, and exposure to harmful content.
A survey conducted in 2025 by M’jid’s office involved over 30,000 children from all regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed that cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children lacked knowledge on where or how to report cyberbullying or seek support. The report also highlights issues such as hate speech, violations of privacy, and criminal recruitment online. Emerging artificial intelligence tools introduce new risks like deepfakes, automated targeting, and manipulated digital content.
UN urges enhanced prevention and safeguarding measures
The report advocates for a unified strategy focused on prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. Its recommendations include developing national plans to eliminate all forms of violence against children, implementing legal bans, improving data collection, and increasing investment in child protection systems. The UN emphasizes that digital safety measures should encompass stronger privacy protections and security protocols across online platforms and artificial intelligence systems. It also promotes accessible reporting channels and meaningful involvement of children in decisions that impact their safety.
Since July 2019, M’jid has served as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children. In her tenure, she has undertaken 65 country visits and met with senior officials from national and local governments, including 35 heads of state, heads of government or their deputies, along with 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest report also estimates that the global annual cost of lost human capital linked to mental health issues among children amounts to $393 billion. The assessment concludes that the goal to eradicate violence against children by 2030 remains unachieved and on an uneven trajectory.