‘Behind every statistic is a stolen childhood,’ warns UN envoy

As wars drag on across continents and conflicts grow more complex, children continue to bear the heaviest and most heartbreaking cost.Marking 30 years since the United Nations first established its mandate to protect children caught in war, Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, is sounding the alarm, and calling for renewed global commitment to prevention, protection, and accountability.Ms. Frazier warned that grave violations against children are rising sharply, with more than 7,400 cases of child recruitment verified in 2024 alone.Charlotte Frantz began by asking where child recruitment is happening the most – and what is driving it.