Violence part of life for world's youth

New York— A new report from the United Nations' children agency says that young people from around the world are routinely exposed to violence, ranging from homicide and forced sexual acts to bullying and abusive discipline from parents.

The report found that in 2012 alone almost 95 000 children and adolescents were murdered, making it the leading cause of death among people under the age of 20. Most of them lived in low- and middle-income countries.

The study also finds that about six in 10 children worldwide between the ages of two and 14 - numbering almost one billion - are subjected to physical punishment by their caregivers on a regular basis.

The report drew on data from 190 countries and was released on Thursday.