Civilian deaths in armed conflicts surged by 40 percent globally in 2024, according to new data from the UN Human Rights Office published Wednesday. The figures highlight a deteriorating global human rights landscape marked by widespread violence, deepening discrimination, and the continued targeting of human rights defenders and journalists.
At least 48,384 people, most of them civilians, were killed in conflict zones last year. Among them were 502 human rights defenders, while a total of 625 defenders were either killed or disappeared.
The report also reveals a shocking toll on women and children. In 2023 and 2024, 21,480 women and 16,690 children were killed in conflicts, four times more than in 2021 and 2022. The majority of these deaths, 70 percent of women and 80 percent of children, were recorded in Gaza.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that Israel’s actions are “inching closer to extermination.” Its recent military strategy—codenamed Gideon’s Chariots—involves large-scale destruction of infrastructure and the forced confinement of two million Palestinians in a narrow enclave under Israeli control.
The crisis extends far beyond Gaza. In South Sudan, the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) warned of escalating instability driven by operations of the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces (SSPDF). These offensives have led to mass displacement and civilian deaths, along with arbitrary arrests and attacks on populated areas. The UNHRC condemned the international community’s inaction and urged coordinated intervention.
Meanwhile, Syria’s prolonged humanitarian crisis continues, with nearly 16 million people now in need of urgent health assistance. Infrastructure continues to crumble, medicine is in short supply, and only 59 percent of hospitals remain fully functional.
Threats to human rights defenders remain unrelenting. In 2024, a human rights defender, journalist, or trade unionist was killed or disappeared every 14 hours. Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the highest number of killings, while Western Asia, Northern Africa, and Central and Southern Asia experienced the highest rates of arbitrary detention.
These cascading human rights failures are contributing to a broader displacement emergency. In a parallel report, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees warned of an unprecedented global displacement crisis, driven overwhelmingly by unresolved conflicts. Forced displacement has more than doubled over the past decade, reaching a record 123.2 million people in 2024. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) now account for the majority, with Sudan alone representing 11.6 million, marking the largest internal displacement crisis ever recorded.
“Behind every statistic is a story,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “These numbers reflect alarming failures to protect the most vulnerable during both peace and conflict.”
