NEW YORK/OSLO, 22 April 2024 – Between 2018 and 2022, explosive weapons were responsible for nearly half – 49.8 per cent – of the more than 47,500 instances of children killed and maimed that were verified by the United Nations, in more than 24 conflict zones globally.
The vast majority of these instances occurred in populated areas. The use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas (EWIPA) poses an immense threat to children worldwide. As urban warfare increases, the use of weapons designed for open battlefields is now a common reality in cities, towns, villages, and other populated areas, with devastating effects on young populations. In the five years up to 2022, explosive weapons killed or seriously injured almost twice as many children as were killed or injured by gunshots and other firearms.
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Source: UNICEF
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