UN briefing documents 38,558 verified grave violations against children in 2025 and urges stronger protections

A presenter addressing the United Nations Security Council said the Secretary-General's latest report documents 38,558 verified grave violations against children in 2025 and urged member states to take urgent, consistent action to protect children in conflict.

The presenter framed the stakes plainly: "A school, a hospital, a water point to never be a battlefield," and warned that for millions of children the reality of entering a classroom or health facility can be life-threatening. The speaker said the verified violations include children killed and maimed, recruited and used by armed forces and groups, abducted, subjected to sexual violence, denied humanitarian assistance, and deprived of education, health, and protection.

The report shows a troubling shift in perpetrators. "For the first time, government forces and affiliated actors are responsible for more grave violations against children than non-state armed groups," the presenter said, calling that finding one that should "alarm every member state represented in this chamber." The speaker urged states to ensure their forces comply with international humanitarian and human rights law and to investigate and hold those responsible to account.

The presenter highlighted several quantitative trends: the report records 38,558 verified grave violations in 2025; almost 70% of child casualties were caused by explosive weapons in populated areas; more than 3,100 children were subjected to multiple grave violations; and the United Nations verified more than 8,000 incidents involving restrictions on humanitarian operations, attacks on humanitarian personnel and assets, and interference with assistance delivery. The highest numbers of child casualties and access denials were verified in Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Israel and the State of Palestine, Lebanon, Libya, and Ukraine.

The briefing emphasized the long-term harms of explosive weapons, which destroy schools, hospitals, water and power systems and leave unexploded ordnance that can kill and maim children years after hostilities end. The presenter also warned of the psychological harm from the increasing use of drones, autonomous systems, and artificial intelligence-supported targeting in populated areas.

Despite these alarming figures, the presenter noted measurable progress in some areas: in 2025 more than 13,000 children left armed forces or armed groups and received reintegration and protection support from UNICEF and partners, and governments and non-state actors in several countries engaged with the United Nations to negotiate commitments and release children.

The speaker concluded with six recommendations for member states and the Security Council: (1) use influence to ensure parties to conflict adhere to international humanitarian and human rights law and avoid weapons transfers where there is clear risk of grave violations against children; (2) take concrete steps to protect education, including ending attacks on schools and refraining from military use of education facilities; (3) treat children associated with armed forces primarily as victims and transfer them to civilian child protection actors for care and reintegration; (4) the Security Council should preserve monitoring and reporting mechanisms and maintain a fully functioning working group on children and armed conflict; (5) safeguard humanitarian action and ensure safe, timely, unimpeded access for relief operations; and (6) strengthen legal and policy frameworks that protect children, including continued support for instruments such as the anti-personnel mine ban convention, the convention on cluster munitions, the safe schools declaration, and the political declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.

The presenter warned that funding cuts are weakening child protection capacities "precisely when needs are growing," reducing support for family tracing and reunification, mental health and psychosocial support, reintegration services, and safe access to education and health care. The briefing closed with a call for strong political and financial support for the children in armed conflict agenda.

No formal vote or decision was recorded in the briefing; the speaker's remarks were a presentation of the Secretary-General's report and a set of recommended actions for member states and the Council.