United Nations: The number of conflicts and their child victims has increased to its highest levels in decades

Security Council meetings are usually chaired by ambassadors or officials from the country that holds the rotating presidency of the Council, a role that the United States is assuming this month.

Presidents’ spouses have previously participated in Security Council meetings, but this is the first time that a first lady of any country has chaired one of its meetings.

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rose Marie DiCarlo said that the meeting comes at a time of exceptional importance:

⬅️We are facing the largest number of armed conflicts since World War II.

⬅️The number of children killed in these conflicts is the highest in decades.

⬅️One in 5 children (473 million children) lives in or has fled a conflict zone.

⬅️Serious violations against children will increase by 25% between 2023 and 2024.

⬅️234 million children in situations of crises or conflicts need educational support, and 85 million are completely out of school.

⬅️Verification of 2,374 attacks on schools and hospitals during 2024, most of which occurred in Ukraine, Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory, and Haiti.

DiCarlo said that children are among the most affected in conflicts, and she said: “We have been reminded of this fact over the past two days. Schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman have closed and moved to distance learning due to ongoing military operations in the region. We have learned of reports from Iran about the possible death of dozens of children, allegedly as a result of a bombing that hit a primary school in the town of Minab. The United States authorities announced that they are looking into these reports.”

The UN official referred to Security Council Resolution No. 2601, which urges all parties to the conflict to immediately stop attacks against schools, children and teachers, and to protect, respect and promote the right to education.

She touched on the challenges of providing quality education during conflicts, including the lack of electricity and internet, and the lack of a sufficient number of teachers. She talked about digital education, the opportunities it can provide, the United Nations’ investment in this field, and the importance of partnerships between the private and public sectors in this regard.

Examples of this were partnerships between UN agencies, Microsoft and Vodafone, and UNESCO’s use of digital technologies to provide education to Afghan girls in their homes and communities in response to the exclusion of 2.2 million girls from educational institutions.

She touched on the decrease in funding for education in emergencies by 24% despite the increase in needs, and called on UN member states to do more to close the education funding gaps.

Rose Marie DiCarlo said that the most effective way to protect children from conflict is to prevent and end wars. She said that peacebuilding lies at the core of what the United Nations does, and called for joint action to achieve this goal.

Education and lasting peace

First Lady of the United States Melania Trump said that lasting peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully given importance in all societies. She said that her country stands with all children around the world.

She stated that the value that country leaders place on education “constitutes the core of their countries’ belief systems.” She said that a nation that sanctifies education protects its future.

added: “Today, almost anyone, anywhere, has access to a vast world of data at their fingertips. Let’s connect everyone to knowledge through AI, including those who live in the most remote geographic regions of our world.”

She stressed that the path to peace depends on “our taking responsibility for empowering our children through education and technology.”

She urged members of the Security Council to pledge to protect education and enhance access to distinguished education for all. She appealed to them to build a generation of future leaders who uphold peace through education.