NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations has issued a warning that global initiatives to eliminate violence against children are not progressing as planned for 2030. This evaluation marks two decades after the groundbreaking UN research on violence targeting minors. A newly released progress update highlights that conflict, displacement, climate-related threats, and digital abuse have increased risks to child safety. Najat Maalla M’jid, serving as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, compiled this latest review. The report will be discussed at the 81st UN General Assembly session later this month.
The report indicates that nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in areas affected by conflict, compared to about 10% in the 1990s. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced a total of 48.8 million children globally, nearly tripling the approximately 17 million displaced in 2010. This figure includes refugee and asylum-seeking children as well as millions displaced within their own countries due to violence and conflict.
Climate-related hazards are adding further dangers for children on a global scale. Nearly half of all children, amounting to 1.1 billion, are exposed to at least three overlapping climate risks. According to UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment, almost every child faces at least one climate hazard, with over 4 million children confronting as many as six threats simultaneously. These hazards include drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Rising digital dangers heighten child protection challenges
The UN assessment also highlights that digital environments have expanded the scope of threats targeting children. Approximately one in three internet users worldwide is under the age of 18. Data cited by the UN office reveals that over 300 million children each year suffer from online sexual exploitation and abuse. At least 1.2 million children reported that artificial intelligence had created sexually explicit deepfakes of their images in the past year. Additional risks involve cyberbullying, scams, identity theft, trafficking, and exposure to harmful content.
A survey conducted in 2025 by M’jid’s office gathered insights from more than 30,000 children across all regions. Among respondents, 66% believed that cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children surveyed did not know where or how to report such abuse or seek help. The report also emphasizes dangers like hate speech, privacy breaches, and recruitment by criminal groups online. Emerging AI tools have introduced new risks, such as deepfakes, automated targeting, and manipulated digital content.
UN advocates for enhanced prevention, protection, and child participation
The report advocates for a unified strategy focusing on prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It recommends implementing national policies aimed at eradicating all forms of violence against children. The UN further emphasizes the importance of legal prohibitions, improved data collection, and increased investment in child protection infrastructure. Digital safety measures should encompass stronger privacy protections and safety protocols across platforms and AI systems. The UN also promotes accessible reporting channels and meaningful opportunities for children to participate in decisions impacting their safety.
Since July 2019, M’jid has been the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children. Her tenure includes 65 country visits and meetings with senior officials from both national and local governments. These engagements involved 35 heads of state, government leaders or deputies, alongside 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest report estimates that the global economic cost of lost human capital related to children’s mental health issues amounts to $393 billion annually. The UN assessment concludes that the 2030 target to eradicate violence against children remains off track.