The United Nations Secretary-General’s (UNSG) report on Children and Armed Conflict in Afghanistan presents a troubling account of the protection environment for children under Taliban rule. Although the total number of verified grave violations declined during the reporting period -1 January 2023–31 December 2025 – the findings reveal a more complicated reality: humanitarian access deteriorated sharply, child recruitment increased, explosive ordnance continued to kill and maim children, and restrictions on education and women’s participation further weakened Afghanistan’s social and institutional resilience.
The Taliban emerged as the principal perpetrator identified in the report. The UN country task force verified 4,582 violations against 1,993 children between January 2023 and December 2025. Of the verified violations, 3,180 were attributed to Taliban forces, compared with 1,202 attributed to unidentified perpetrators.
