NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – United Nations has issued a warning that the global efforts to eradicate violence against children are falling behind schedule for 2030. The warning comes two decades after the landmark UN study on violence against children. According to a new progress report, conflicts, displacement, climate-related dangers, and digital abuse have all expanded the risks to child protection. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, authored the latest assessment. This report will be discussed at the 81st UN General Assembly session scheduled for this month.
The report reveals that nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in conflict zones, a significant increase from approximately 10% in the 1990s. By the conclusion of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children globally, nearly tripling the figure of around 17 million recorded in 2010. This statistic includes refugee and asylum-seeking children, as well as millions displaced within their own countries by violence and conflict.
Climate-related hazards are adding further danger to children across the globe. Almost half of all children—1.1 billion—are exposed to at least three overlapping climate risks. According to UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment, nearly every child faces at least one such threat. Over 4 million children confront as many as six overlapping risks, which include drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, wildfires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Digital threats intensify concerns over child safety
The UN assessment highlights how digital environments have broadened the spectrum of dangers children face. Data shows that approximately one in three internet users globally is under 18. Every year, more than 300 million children are subjected to online sexual exploitation and abuse, based on figures cited by the UN office. During the past year, at least 1.2 million children reported that artificial intelligence had been used to create sexually explicit deepfakes of their images. Additional dangers include cyberbullying, fraud, identity theft, trafficking, and exposure to harmful content.
A survey conducted in 2025 by M’jid’s office gathered insights from over 30,000 children across all regions. Sixty-six percent of respondents believed that cyberbullying had increased. Half of the children did not know where or how to report cyberbullying or seek support. The report also highlights hate speech, privacy violations, and online recruitment of children by criminals as emerging threats. The advent of artificial intelligence tools has introduced new risks related to deepfakes, automated targeting, and manipulated digital content.
UN urges enhanced prevention and safeguarding measures
The report advocates for a unified strategy centered on prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It recommends implementing national policies aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against children. The report also emphasizes the importance of legal bans, improved data collection, and increased investment in child protection infrastructure. Digital safety should be reinforced through stronger privacy and security safeguards across platforms and artificial intelligence systems, according to the UN. The report also supports accessible mechanisms for reporting abuse and encourages meaningful child participation in safety-related decision-making processes.
Since July 2019, M’jid has served as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children. During her tenure, she has conducted 65 country visits and engaged with senior officials from both national and local governments. Her meetings have included 35 heads of state, heads of government or their deputies, along with 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest report estimates that mental health issues among children contribute to an annual global economic loss of $393 billion, linked to diminished human capital. The UN’s assessment underscores that the target to end violence against children by 2030 remains off track.