United Nations Reports Record Increase in Serious Violations Against Children in Armed Conflict for 2025
聯合國報告 2025 年武裝衝突中兒童遭受嚴重侵害人數創紀錄增加
Introduction
The United Nations has released its annual report on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC). This report documents an unprecedented rise in confirmed violations against children worldwide during the 2025 calendar year.
聯合國已發布關於「兒童與武裝衝突」(CAAC) 的年度報告。該報告記錄了 2025 曆年期間，全球確認對兒童造成的侵害人數出現前所未有的增長。
Main Body
The 2025 reporting period saw the highest number of child casualties and abuses since the CAAC mandate began thirty years ago. Data shows 38,558 serious violations affecting 24,174 children, with girls making up one-third of the victims. Notably, for the first time, government and state military forces caused more violations than non-state armed groups. This trend is clearly seen in the killing and injuring of children, which increased by 34% and 10% respectively. Furthermore, there were more attacks on schools and hospitals, as well as blocks to humanitarian aid.
2025 年的報告期是 CAAC 授權開始 30 年以來，兒童傷亡與受虐人數最高的一年。數據顯示有 38,558 宗嚴重侵害事件，影響了 24,174 名兒童，其中三分之一為女孩。值得注意的是，政府與國家軍隊造成的侵害次數，首次多於非國家武裝組織。這一趨勢在兒童被殺與受傷的人數中十分明顯，分別增加了 34% 與 10%。此外，對學校與醫院的攻擊，以及對人道救援的阻撓也有所增加。
These violations are most frequent in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Myanmar, and Somalia. In the Palestinian territories, the UN confirmed that Israeli forces killed 2,668 children in Gaza and 57 in the West Bank. Additionally, the Palestinian Independent Commission for Human Rights reported that 50 Bedouin and herding communities were forced from their land since late 2023. The UN Secretary-General emphasized the role of Israeli settlers in these abuses and warned that these groups might be officially blacklisted if the situation does not improve by 2026.
這些侵害事件最常發生在巴勒斯坦被佔領土與以色列、剛果民主共和國、尼日利亞、緬甸及索馬利亞。在巴勒斯坦領土，聯合國確認以色列軍隊在加薩殺害了 2,668 名兒童，在約旦河西岸殺害了 57 名。此外，巴勒斯坦獨立人權委員會報告指出，自 2023 年底以來，有 50 個貝都因人與牧羊社區被強行驅離土地。聯合國秘書長強調了以色列定居者在這些虐待行為中扮演的角色，並警告如果情況在 2026 年前沒有改善，這些團體可能會被正式列入黑名單。
Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, asserted that this decline in safety is caused by a lack of respect for international law and changes in combat methods. The use of artificial intelligence for targeting, explosive weapons in crowded cities, and landmines have made children more vulnerable. Moreover, the report documents the recruitment of 6,607 children and the abduction of 5,129 others. Despite these problems, the UN noted some progress, as 13,112 children were successfully reintegrated into society and about 40 agreements to protect children were established in regions like Colombia, Ukraine, and Somalia.
聯合國秘書長特別代表 Vanessa Frazier 主張，安全情況惡化是因為對國際法缺乏尊重以及戰鬥方式的改變。使用人工智慧來定位目標、在擁擠城市使用爆炸性武器及地雷，使兒童變得更加脆弱。此外，報告記錄了 6,607 名兒童被招募，另有 5,129 名被綁架。儘管存在這些問題，聯合國也注意到一些進展，有 13,112 名兒童成功重新融入社會，而哥倫比亞、烏克蘭及索馬利亞等地區也建立了約 40 份保護兒童的協議。
Conclusion
The current global situation for children in war zones is marked by record-high death rates and a worrying increase in abuses committed by state forces.
目前全球戰爭地帶兒童的情況，是以創紀錄的死亡率，以及國家軍隊造成之虐待行為令人憂慮地增加為特徵。
Vocabulary Learning
🚀 Moving Beyond "And" & "But"
At the A2 level, you likely connect ideas with simple words like and, but, or so. To reach B2, you need Logical Connectors. These are words that tell the reader exactly how two ideas relate—whether you are adding information, showing a contrast, or explaining a result.
Look at these high-level markers from the text:
1. Adding Weight (The "Also" Upgrade)
- Furthermore Used to add a new, often more important, point to your argument.
- Additionally Used to give extra information that supports your first point.
- A2 style: "There were more attacks on schools and there were blocks to aid."
- B2 style: "There were more attacks on schools; furthermore, there were blocks to humanitarian aid."
2. The Pivot (The "But" Upgrade)
- Despite [Noun/Phrase] This is a B2 powerhouse. It shows that something happened even though there was a problem.
- A2 style: "There are problems but 13,000 children returned home."
- B2 style: "Despite these problems, 13,112 children were successfully reintegrated into society."
3. Highlighting a Specific Point
- Notably Use this when you want to draw the reader's attention to a surprising or important fact.
- Example: "Notably, for the first time, government forces caused more violations."
🛠 Vocabulary Shift: From General to Precise
B2 students stop using words like "bad" or "big" and start using Action Verbs and Precise Adjectives.
| A2 Word | B2 Upgrade from Text | Contextual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Said | Asserted | To say something strongly and confidently |
| Forced out | Displaced (Implied) / Forced from | To make someone leave their home |
| Joined again | Reintegrated | To put someone back into a normal community |
| Weak | Vulnerable | Easy to hurt or attack |
Pro Tip: Notice how the text uses "unprecedented rise" instead of "very big increase." Using an adjective like unprecedented (never done or known before) immediately signals to an examiner that you are operating at a B2 level.