Grave violations against children are escalating dramatically in Mozambique following reports that more than 400 minors were recruited by armed groups in the conflict-torn northern province of Cabo Delgado in 2024 alone.
According to the latest Public Health Situation Analysis (PHSA) report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Health Cluster, 403 minors – including 71 girls – were confirmed recruited.
This surge marked a 525 percent increase in grave violations against children in 2024, placing Mozambique among the top five countries globally experiencing the sharpest rise in such offences.
“Children in Cabo Delgado face grave violations, including abductions and recruitment by non-state armed groups,” the report said.
The escalation comes nearly nine years after the start of the armed insurgency in Cabo Delgado.
The conflict, driven by insurgent groups linked to the Islamic State, began in 2017 in the gas-rich northern province.
Over nearly a decade, the violence has targeting civilians, basic infrastructure and local communities, leading to widespread trauma, gender-based violence and severe family separation.
The ongoing insecurity has driven massive displacement.
Northern Mozambique currently hosts 506,214 internally displaced persons, representing a nine percent increase from last year.
In June alone, violence forced 12,174 people to flee, bringing the total number of newly displaced persons this year to 26,184. Women and children accounted for 79 percent of those displaced in June.
While more than 715,000 people have returned to their areas of origin, most remain dependent on aid due to destroyed basic services and limited agricultural land access.
JN/APA