Child killings, sexual harassment rise again

A total of 2,598 children were killed and 11,458 others injured in incidents involving violations of child rights between 2021 and 2026, according to data from the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS).

The data also shows a renewed rise in child killings and sexual harassment in 2026 after declines in some categories in previous years.

Child rape declines, then rebounds

A total of 3,487 child rape cases were recorded during the six-year period, accounting for around 57% of the 6,153 rape cases recorded overall.

The number of child rape cases fell from 1,047 in 2021 to 284 in 2024, a decline of around 73%. However, the figure rose by about 67% to 474 in 2025. A further 392 cases were recorded in 2026.

Children accounted for nearly 60% of all rape victims in 2026, up from around 51% in 2024.

The data also recorded 131 children killed after rape during the period, with the annual figure ranging from 17 to 28.

Sexual harassment reaches six-year high

Sexual harassment cases increased for two consecutive years, rising from 322 in 2024 to 434 in 2025 and 696 in 2026, the highest figure recorded during the period.

Cases of sexual harassment involving children also reached a six-year high of 276 in 2026, compared with 236 in 2025 and 130 in 2024.

Child killings and injuries rise

The number of children killed rose from 251 in 2021 to 664 in 2024 before falling to 288 in 2025. The figure climbed again to 494 in 2026, an increase of around 72% from the previous year.

The number of children injured stood at 4,378 in 2024, more than twice the figure recorded in any other year. The dataset does not explain the sharp increase. The figure fell to 1,083 in 2025 before rising to 1,361 in 2026.

Overall, 1,810 incidents were recorded in 2026, up around 32% from 1,371 in 2025 and the highest annual total in the six-year period.