The Stop the War On Children Report by Save the Children International has raised concern over the unprecedented increase in violence against children, from 10,000 in 2010 to 25,000 in 2017.
The report, which included a breakdown of United Nations (UN) data on grave violence against children, revealed that everyday children face threat of either being killed, maimed, recruited to arm groups, abducted or fall victim of sexual violence, among other.
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The Country Director, Save the Children, Ben Foot, during the launch of campaign to stop violence against children, in Abuja, said, “Our analysis clearly shows the situation is getting worse for children and the world is allowing this travesty to happen. “Everyday children come under attack because armed and military groups disregard international laws and treaties.
From the use of chemical weapons to rape as a weapon of war, war crimes are being committed with impunity.”The organization, therefore, called on the international community not to tolerate but hold accountable perpetrators who break the rule of war, urging independent bodies to probe and analyse all violations of humanitarian laws, human rights, especially children rights.
The analysis done by Save the Children international revealed that Nigeria is among 10 countries affected by armed conflict and may have lost about 550,000 babies between 2013 and 2017. It further said one in five children live in areas affected by conflicts, and about 870,000 children under the age of five have also lost their lives to conflicts.
