Afghanistan records the largest number of killing and maiming of children with 874 children killed and 2,275 children maimed in 2019. This comes to 30 per cent of the total number of children killed and maimed across the globe, according to “Stop the War on Children” report by Save the Children.
The report notes that the country witnessed a three per cent increase of violence against children from 2018. It said that the annual figures of child killing and maiming stood at over 3,000 for the last four consecutive years.
Boys were the most affected among the children. They figured about 71 per cent of the total killings and maiming among children.
The Save the Children also notes that Afghanistan topped the list of the most dangerous countries for children. Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen are the other most dangerous countries for children, according to the report.
The Save the Children said that the greatest increases of verified incidents of killing and maiming in 2019 were in Mali. Here the reports pot to a 130 per cent rise in the number of children killed and maimed. As in Afghanistan, boys were the most targets. This was also the same in Myanmar where child casualties nearly tripled in 2019.
Iraq also saw an increase in killings and maiming of children. The report said that these were mainly because of explosive remnants of war in areas previously under the control of ISIL.
The report also points out that Nigeria and bordering regions in Cameroon, Chad and Niger saw a large dip in violence against children. Somalia and Sudan also saw a decrease in the number of child casualties.
