from ADANE BIKILA in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Ethiopia Bureau
ADDIS ABABA, (CAJ News) – THE number of children subjected to sexual violence in conflict has increased by 50 percent over the past five years.
Save the Children reports that the cases have soared to at least 1 938 cases in 2024, from 2020.
The latest United Nations Annual Report of the Secretary-General on Children and Armed Conflict, released this week, found rape and other forms of sexual violence against children increased significantly in 2024, with cases of gang rape rising dramatically.
Haiti had the highest number of cases of verified sexual violence against children (566), followed by Nigeria (419), the Democratic Republic of Congo (358) and Somalia (267).
However, the number of actual cases of sexual violence against children is understood to be vastly underreported due to stigmatisation, fear of reprisals, harmful social norms, the absence or lack of access to services, impunity and safety concerns.
“We must never turn our back on humanity,” said Inger Ashing, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children International.
“When children are allowed to suffer relentless violence in the name of war, we all share the blame – and we all share a responsibility to make the suffering stop.”
– CAJ News