NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – United Nations has issued a warning that worldwide initiatives to eliminate violence against children are not on track to meet the 2030 goal. This warning comes two decades after the landmark UN research on violence directed at children. According to a recent progress report, issues such as conflict, displacement, climate-related dangers, and digital abuse have amplified risks 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 later this month.
The report highlights that nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in conflict zones, a significant increase from about 10% in the 1990s. By the close of 2024, conflicts and violence had caused the displacement of 48.8 million children globally. This number is nearly three times the approximately 17 million displaced children recorded in 2010. The figures include refugee and asylum-seeking minors, along with millions displaced within their own countries due to violence and conflict.
Climate-related hazards are presenting additional dangers for children around the globe. Almost half of all children, amounting to 1.1 billion, are exposed to at least three overlapping climate threats. Nearly every child faces at least one such hazard, according to UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment. Over 4 million children are affected by as many as six concurrent threats, which include drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Digital risks compound child safety issues
The UN assessment notes that digital environments have broadened the spectrum of dangers facing young people. Approximately one in three internet users worldwide is under 18. Data cited by the UN office indicates that over 300 million children annually suffer from online sexual exploitation and abuse. Additionally, at least 1.2 million minors had their images turned into sexually explicit deepfakes by artificial intelligence in the past year. Other online hazards include cyberbullying, fraud, identity theft, trafficking, and exposure to harmful content.
A survey conducted in 2025 by M’jid’s office collected responses from more than 30,000 children across various regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed that cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children surveyed were unaware of how or where to report online abuse or seek support. The report also points out threats such as hate speech, privacy breaches, and criminal recruitment online. Emerging AI tools have introduced new risks involving deepfakes, automated targeting, and manipulated digital content.
Call for Enhanced Prevention, Protections, and Child Engagement
The report emphasizes the need for a coordinated strategy centered on prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. Its recommendations include developing national plans to eradicate all forms of violence against children, establishing legal bans, improving data collection efforts, and increasing investment in child protection infrastructure. It also advocates for stronger privacy and safety protocols across digital platforms and AI systems. Furthermore, the UN urges the creation of accessible reporting mechanisms and meaningful involvement of children in decisions affecting their safety.
Since July 2019, M’jid has served as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children. Her tenure has included 65 visits to countries and meetings with senior officials across national and local governments. Her engagements involved 35 heads of state, heads of government or their deputies, along with 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest report additionally estimates that the global annual cost of human capital lost due to mental health issues among children amounts to $393 billion. The UN assessment concludes that the goal of ending violence against children by 2030 remains unmet.