In August 2021, the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan after a lightning military campaign in which they seized major cities in less than 10 days. Since then, a series of restrictive measures has been imposed, targeting girls and young women. In September 2021, they were banned from attending secondary school, followed in 2022 by exclusion […]
Female genital mutilation (FGM) remains one of the most pressing child protection concerns in The Gambia. Often carried out during infancy or early childhood, the practice inflicts irreversible harm on young girls, threatening their health, survival, and dignity due to entrenched cultural norms. Although The Gambia has made notable progress in advocacy and legal reform, […]
Child sexual abuse material (CSAM) remains a serious concern in the Netherlands, with implications that extend well beyond its borders. The country’s advanced digital infrastructure and central role in global internet traffic have made it both a leader in combating online crime and a target for criminal networks. Consequently, the Netherlands has earned international recognition […]
Across Belgian cities, and especially around the Port of Antwerp, children as young as thirteen can be found carrying drugs, standing guard for gangs, or risking their lives in ports at night. Most of them should be in school, yet their days and nights are consumed by criminal work. Many are beaten for mistakes by […]
Between 1950 and 2020, at least 216,000 children in France were sexually abused by priests and members of religious orders. These crimes show how abuse was enabled by silence, cover-ups, and a culture that protected the institution rather than children. In response, France has begun reforms and created independent bodies such as the CRR and […]
Criminal gangs in Sweden are deliberately recruiting children, sometimes as young as 10, to carry out violent acts, transport drugs, and handle weapons. They target vulnerable children where child protection systems fail to provide timely or effective safeguards, drawing them into drug trafficking, armed violence, and other crimes. Despite legal reforms, such as Sweden’s 2023 […]
The eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is experiencing a surge in child sexual abuse amid ongoing armed conflict. The region, particularly North and South Kivu, has become the epicentre of a humanitarian disaster where sexual violence is systematically deployed as a weapon of war, specifically targeting children. Despite international humanitarian law explicitly prohibiting […]
Between 1997 and 2013, around 1,400 children were sexually exploited in Rotherham, UK, by grooming gangs. Similar gangs were also found to be operating in other towns and cities across England, including Oldham, Rochdale, and Derby. In response, the UK government has committed to implementing all 12 recommendations proposed by Baroness Casey — known collectively […]
Since the escalation of Israel’s attack on Gaza in October 2023, hunger in the besieged enclave has surged to record levels – with children suffering the most. More than 495,000 people are now facing catastrophic food shortages, and families are surviving on as little as 245 calories per day, barely 12% of the minimum daily […]
South Sudan, independent since 2011, continues to be devastated by armed conflicts that severely infringe on children’s rights. Despite a peace agreement and ceasefire in 2020, intermittent clashes (including recent confrontations in early 2025) have caused a surge in civilian casualties and mass displacement. The country faces alarming levels of child soldier recruitment, conflict-related sexual […]
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