This year’s annual report adds Haiti and Niger as situations of concern with immediate effect. While in previous years the majority of violations were attributed to non-state armed groups, in 2022 such actors accounted for half of the violations. It also cites the use of explosive weapons-including those with a wide impact area-in populated areas as among the factors that have had the most severe effect. The report highlights several worrying trends, such as a 112 percent increase in attacks on schools (1,163) and hospitals (647), mainly in Ukraine, Burkina Faso, Israel and the OPT, Myanmar, Mali, and Afghanistan. It notes that the most violations took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Somalia, Ukraine, and Syria. The report records 27,180 grave violations against children in 24 country situations and one regional situation (the Lake Chad Basin), which represents an increase from 2021 (23,982). The six grave violations are child recruitment and use killing and maiming abductions rape and other forms of sexual violence attacks on schools and hospitals and the denial of humanitarian access. The Secretary-General’s annual report covers the period from January through December 2022 and provides information on the six grave violations against children in situations on the agenda of the Council, as well as in other situations of concern.

The Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict is expected to conduct a field mission to Nigeria from 10 to 13 July, its first country visit since 2019, when working group members travelled to Mali.

Other speakers are likely to include UNICEF Deputy Executive Director for programmes Omar Abdi and a child civil society briefer. Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Virginia Gamba is expected to present the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict, which was made public on 27 June. In July, the Security Council will hold its annual open debate on children and armed conflict.

Children and Armed Conflict Expected Council Action

Armed conflict children in detention