UN representative: Nearly 45 million children are displaced worldwide

Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence against Children, says that nearly 45 million children across the globe have been displaced from their homes due to conflict, natural disasters, and the climate crisis. The United Nations reported on Saturday, October 17, that Ms. M’jid has called for stronger global action to protect children who are facing increasing crises.

She stated that food insecurity and the rapid expansion of technology have also challenged efforts to reduce violence against children. These remarks were made after she presented her final report to the UN General Assembly, which she described as a “wake-up call” for the international community. The report’s presentation coincided with the 20th anniversary of the first UN global study on violence against children.

Ms. M’jid added that despite changes over the past two decades, the global community continues to face complex and simultaneous crises in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely affect children.