NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations has issued a warning that global efforts to eliminate violence against children are not progressing as planned for 2030. This warning follows two decades after the groundbreaking UN study on violence targeting children. A recent progress update highlights that conflicts, displacement, climate-related hazards, and digital abuse have all exacerbated risks to child protection. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, authored this latest assessment, which will be discussed at the 81st UN General Assembly session this month.
According to the report, nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in conflict zones, compared to about 10% during the 1990s. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children globally, nearly tripling the approximately 17 million displaced children recorded in 2010. This group 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 another dimension of danger for children across the globe. Almost half of all children, or 1.1 billion, face at least three overlapping climate hazards, with nearly every child experiencing at least one according to UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment. More than 4 million children are exposed to as many as six simultaneous threats, including drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Digital threats heighten child protection issues
The UN assessment emphasizes that digital environments have broadened the scope of risks facing children. Around one in three internet users worldwide is under 18. Each year, over 300 million children encounter online sexual exploitation and abuse, based on data from the UN office. During the previous 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 collected responses from more than 30,000 children across various regions. Sixty-six percent of those surveyed believed that cyberbullying had increased, while half of the children were unaware of where or how to report such incidents and seek support. The report also highlights threats such as hate speech, privacy breaches, and criminal recruitment online. Emerging AI tools have introduced new dangers like deepfakes, automated targeting, and digital content manipulation.
Call for enhanced prevention and safeguarding measures
The report advocates for a unified strategy rooted in prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. It recommends developing national policies aimed at eradicating all forms of violence against children, alongside enacting legal bans, improving data collection, and increasing investment in child protection infrastructure. The UN emphasizes that digital safety must include stronger privacy and security protocols across platforms and AI systems. Furthermore, accessible reporting mechanisms and genuine child involvement in decision-making processes concerning their safety are also crucial.
Since July 2019, M’jid has served as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, conducting 65 country visits and engaging with senior officials from national and local governments. Her interactions have included 35 heads of state or government and their deputies, along with 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest assessment estimates that the annual global cost of lost human capital related to children’s mental health conditions reaches $393 billion. The UN warns that the 2030 objective of ending violence against children remains on an unsteady path.