23 June 2025

As violence against children in conflict zones reaches alarming levels, the Early Childhood Peace Consortium (ECPC) issued an urgent appeal calling for immediate international action to protect children and end cycles of trauma.

The ECPC—a global coalition of United Nations agencies, NGOs, academics, practitioners, and private sector partners—warns that the world is facing a humanitarian emergency of historic proportions. The consortium’s appeal, titled “Stop the War on Children NOW!”, demands swift, coordinated efforts to halt the ongoing suffering of children caught in war.

Children in Conflict: A Worsening Crisis
According to a recent UNICEF assessment, 2024 was “one of the worst years on record for children in conflict in UNICEF’s history”. Children were killed and maimed in unprecedented numbers, and emerging data from 2025 suggests the crisis is continuing to escalate.

“The statistics are not just numbers — they represent deaths, destroyed childhoods, shattered families, and compromised futures,” the ECPC stated in their appeal.

Science Reveals Lasting Generational Impact
The ECPC highlighted mounting scientific evidence showing that violence and trauma in early childhood have profound and lasting effects.

“War and conflict create toxic stress that derails critical development,” said ECPC researchers. “Without nurturing care, a child’s brain can suffer from hard-to-reverse and lifelong effects”.

Investing in Early Childhood: A Moral and Economic Imperative
The ECPC emphasized that early interventions are key not only to mitigating the immediate harm children face but also to breaking generational cycles of trauma and instability. Investing in Early Childhood Development, the consortium argued, is both a humanitarian obligation and a cost-effective strategy for long-term peacebuilding and global stability.

ECPC’s Four-Point Action Plan
Facing a rapidly deteriorating situation, The ECPC has outlined four critical actions needed immediately:

1. Maintain unwavering advocacy to uphold children’s rights and make stopping the war on children a global priority
2. Amplify children’s voices in international forums, including UN conference rooms
3. Protect children by supporting their caregivers, recognizing that caregiver safety is fundamental to child protection
4. Prioritize evidence-based Early Childhood Development programs as lifesaving interventions throughout humanitarian responses

Public Call to Action
The ECPC is encouraging individuals, organizations, and institutions to help disseminate the appeal by sharing the message across networks, social media platforms, and professional affiliations.

About ECPC
The Early Childhood Peace Consortium is a global alliance of UN agencies, NGOs, academics, practitioners, and private sector actors working to advance sustainable peace, social cohesion, and justice through investment in early childhood development. For over two decades, ECPC members have championed research, advocacy, and programs that empower young children and families in fragile and conflict-affected settings.