Children face record-level impact from armed conflicts worldwide: UNICEF

The impact of armed conflicts on children around the world reached devastating and likely record levels in 2024, according to a review by UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) of the latest available data and prevailing global trends.

More children than ever are estimated to be either living in conflict zones or forcibly displaced due to conflict and violence. A record number of children affected by conflict are having their rights violated, including by being killed and injured, out of school, missing life-saving vaccines, and being critically malnourished, according to the review. The number is only expected to grow. Conflict drives approximately 80 percent of all humanitarian needs around the world, disrupting access to essentials, including safe water, food and healthcare.

Over 473 million children -- more than one in six globally -- now live in areas affected by conflict, with the world experiencing the highest number of conflicts since World War II. The percentage of the world's children living in conflict zones has doubled -- from around 10 percent in the 1990s to almost 19 percent today.

By the end of 2023, 47.2 million children had been displaced due to conflict and violence, with trends in 2024 indicating additional displacement due to the intensification of conflicts, including in Haiti, Lebanon, Myanmar, the State of Palestine, and Sudan.

Children account for 30 percent of the global population, yet on average account for roughly 40 percent of refugee populations and 49 percent of internally displaced people. In countries affected by conflict, on average over a third of the population are poor compared with just over 10 percent in non-conflict-affected countries.

In the latest available data, from 2023, the United Nations verified a record 32,990 grave violations against 22,557 children -- the highest number since Security Council-mandated monitoring began. With the overall upward trend in the number of grave violations -- for example, thousands of children have been killed and injured in Gaza, and in Ukraine, the UN verified more child casualties during the first nine months of 2024 than during all of 2023.

The situation for women and girls is particularly concerning, with widespread reports of rape and sexual violence in conflict settings. In Haiti, so far this year, there has been a 1,000-percent increase in reported incidents of sexual violence against children. In situations of armed conflict, children with disabilities also tend to be disproportionately exposed to violence and rights violations.

Education has been severely disrupted in conflict zones. More than 52 million children in countries affected by conflict are estimated to be out of school. Children in the Gaza Strip, and a significant portion of children in Sudan, have missed out on more than a year of school, while in countries such as Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria, schools have been damaged, destroyed or repurposed, leaving millions of children without access to learning. The destruction of educational infrastructure and insecurity near schools have exacerbated an already dire situation for children's education in these regions.

Malnutrition among children in conflict zones has also risen to alarming levels, as conflict and armed violence continue to be the primary drivers of hunger in numerous hotspots, disrupting food systems, displacing populations, and obstructing humanitarian access.

The impact on children's mental health is also huge. Exposure to violence, destruction and loss of loved ones can manifest in children through reactions such as depression, nightmares and difficulty sleeping, aggressive or withdrawn behavior, sadness and fear, among others. UNICEF is calling for all parties to conflict, and for those with influence over them, to take decisive action to end the suffering of children, to ensure their rights are upheld, and to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law.

Children face record-level impact from armed conflicts worldwide: UNICEF

China has intensified efforts to streamline payment options for foreign visitors this year, aimed at enhancing their travel experience and boost inbound tourism, which has seen steady growth in recent years.

From January to November, the number of foreign arrivals in China surged by 86.2 percent year on year, reaching 29.2 million.

This influx of tourists has been accompanied by a significant rise in the use of foreign payment methods.

In the first half of this year alone, transaction volumes of foreigners using overseas wallet apps to pay for goods and services in China increased more than sevenfold, according to data from NetsUnion Clearing Corporation, a Chinese online payment clearing house under the People's Bank of China.

During the same period, the number of foreign wallet transactions in China hit 28.75 million, up 5.29 times from the previous year. Meanwhile, transaction volume reached 5.32 billion yuan (about 729 million U.S. dollars), a 7.67-fold increase from last year's figures.

Overseas bank cards are now widely accepted across China, and Chinese mobile payment giants Alipay and WeChat Pay have integrated Visa and Mastercard, allowing foreign visitors to pay seamlessly like locals. "We managed to link our two credit cards to Alipay, and everything worked fine. We looked on the Internet, there are some blogs that explain how to create your Alipay account and how to link your credit card. We only paid with the QR code, almost did not use cash," said a foreign visitor.

"Our collaboration with Alipay and WeChat, is just the first start. Really what it enabled is our global network, our global consumer base, and our global partner network with all the financial institutions. And also another good example is we just announced in September that the Beijing subway can accept direct Mastercard payment. So, as an inbound traveler to Beijing, for them to take subway, they just need to tap their Mastercard at the gate and they can enter the subway," said Dennis Chang, president of Mastercard Greater China.

In September, Beijing's subway system launched a service allowing passengers to tap their Mastercard or Visa card at the gate, eliminating the need for physical tickets.

Since Sept 13, a total of 490 stations across the city's subway network have adopted this new system, further improving convenience for foreign visitors.

China expands payment options for int'l inbound tourists