The War on Children: Time to end grave violations against children in conflict

Today, approximately 1 in 6 children are affected by armed conflict. These 300 million children are not only caught in the crossfire of war, but are increasingly used as targets and agents of war. They are bombed in their schools and in their homes. They are used to carry out suicide bombings, act as cooks for the troops, and as sex slaves to please the soldiers. At the same time, groups that utilize these heinous tactics are held accountable less.

With this report, Save the Children has joined forces with the Peace Institute Oslo (PRIO) to identify concerning trends in the safety and well-being of children in conflict-affected areas. All of the indicators in this report suggests that, if left unchecked, these trends in warfare will continue. Children will pay the highest price for war. It is time to end the ‘War on Children’ for good.