Content_paragraphs:  The country task force verified the abduction of 1,201 children (905 boys, 296  
  
  girls). The number of children abducted decreased, from 725 in 2018 to 439 in 2019 
  
  and 37 in the first quarter of 2020, reflecting a downward trend similar to the one 
  
  witnessed with respect to new recruitment. The incidents were overwhelmingly 
  
  attributed to armed groups (1,181, or 98 per cent). Most abductions were verified in 
  
  North Kivu (898, or 75 per cent), where the violations peaked in 2018 (603), before 
  
  declining in 2019 (269) and in the first quarter of 2020 (26), followed by Tanganyika 
  
  (110), Ituri (86), South Kivu (76), the greater Kasai region (24), Maniema (5) and 
  
  Équateur (2). Of note, abductions in the greater Kasai region significantly decreased 
  
  to 20 in 2018, 4 in 2019 and zero in the first quarter of 2020.