International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression

Children affected by armed conflict face a combination of physical injury, psychological trauma, loss of family members, forced displacement, recruitment by armed groups, and disruption of education and healthcare.

The United Nations identifies six “grave violations” against children in conflict: killing and maiming, recruitment or use by armed forces or groups, sexual violence, attacks on schools or hospitals, abduction, and denial of humanitarian access.

These harms often overlap and can have lifelong consequences for health, development, and future opportunities.  

Exposure to violence is strongly linked with higher rates of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep problems, and behavioral difficulties in children.

Long-term studies show that repeated or severe trauma can affect brain development, emotional regulation, learning, and relationships into adulthood.

Not all children are affected in the same way, and supportive caregivers, safe environments, and timely mental health care can significantly reduce long-term harm and help children build resilience.  

Children are protected by a set of international legal instruments, including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which recognizes every child’s right to life, survival, development, and protection from all forms of violence.

In situations of war, the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, as well as the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the involvement of children in armed conflict, set rules against targeting children and recruiting them into armed forces or groups.

These laws obligate states to prevent violations, prosecute perpetrators, and provide care and recovery for child victims.  

Schools and hospitals are critical to children’s survival, development, and sense of normalcy.

When they are attacked, occupied, or used for military purposes, children lose access to education, essential medical care, nutrition programs, and psychological support.

This disruption can deepen trauma, increase the risk of recruitment or exploitation, and damage communities for generations.

International humanitarian law and initiatives like the Safe Schools Declaration call on states and armed actors to refrain from using or attacking schools and to safeguard health facilities and personnel.  

Trauma-informed care is an approach that recognizes how experiences of violence and fear affect a child’s body, emotions, and behavior, and uses that understanding to guide support.

For children, this can involve creating predictable, safe environments, avoiding practices that might re-trigger fear, involving caregivers in healing, and offering psychological interventions that are appropriate to their age and culture.

Evidence shows that such approaches, especially when integrated into schools, health centers, and community programs, can reduce symptoms of distress and help children regain a sense of control and safety.  

Communities can reduce violence against children by strengthening child protection systems at the local level.

This includes training teachers, health workers, religious leaders, and social workers to recognize and respond to abuse; establishing safe reporting mechanisms; supporting positive parenting programs; and enforcing laws against physical punishment, sexual abuse, and exploitation.

Research shows that combined strategies that change social norms, improve services, and support families are more effective than isolated actions.  

Effective support usually combines physical safety, emotional care, and practical assistance.

Key steps include ensuring the child is immediately safe, listening without blame, providing medical attention where needed, and connecting the child with trained professionals for mental health and social support.

Stable, caring relationships with trusted adults, regular routines, access to education, and opportunities to play and socialize all help with recovery.

International guidelines emphasize respecting the child’s views, protecting privacy, and avoiding repeated, intrusive questioning that can worsen trauma.