The first-ever Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children officially opens today in Bogotá, Colombia. The event is hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Sweden, in partnership with UNICEF, the World Health Organization and the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General on Ending Violence Against Children. It represents a truly historic moment: one in which we can re-imagine a world where all children are safe – in their homes, in their schools, in their communities, and online. It represents the first time that governments from all around the world will come together to commit to preventing violence against children.
And, of course, Child Helpline International will be there, represented by our Executive Director, Patrick Krens, and Director of Partnerships & Operations, Helen Mason. They’ve already been meeting with old allies and established partners, and are looking forward to making important new ones as well.
The Ministerial Conference hopes to secure a step-change in support for proven prevention solutions, and to reset collective ambitions to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development target for every child to be living free from violence. Sustainable Development Goal 16.2 committed the global community to end all forms of violence against children. However, as the 2030 deadline begins to approach, violence still remains a reality for half the world’s children.
The conference will drive policy change, marshal resources and demonstrate that preventing violence is possible. Ministerial delegations – along with children, young people, survivor and civil society allies – will unite behind a shared and bold vision to deliver an end to all forms of violence against children.
Violence against children is a pervasive issue. Approximately half of children aged 2-17 experience some form of violence each year. This includes about 300 million children aged 2-4 who face violent discipline from their caregivers, a third of students aged 11-15 who are bullied by their peers, an estimated 120 million girls who suffer forced sexual contact before the age of 20, and one in three children affected by psychological violence.
Globally, violence was the second most common reason for children and young people to contact a child helpline in 2023. Understanding the prevalence and characteristics of violence is key to robustly addressing this issue in policy and practice. While there are significant improvements in data collection on violence, there is still a widespread lack of quality data. Child helplines’ data can fill some of this gap, as it provides a wealth of insights and information on the scope and nuances of the issue of violence against children.
As this hugely important event gets underway, we’re also launching our “Unheard Voices” campaign. Our motto is: “Every Child Has a Voice”. But what happens if there’s no national child helpline to listen to that voice? What happens then to these unheard voices?
Currently, over 130 countries operate a national child helpline. However, at this present moment in time, more than 50 countries still lack this essential service, leaving gaps in their national child protection systems. Together with partners and state actors, we are committed to bridging these gaps by mapping existing services for children, assessing the feasibility of establishing child helplines, and working country by country to set up toll-free, 24/7 child helplines that are accessible across the various contact channels used by children and young people. Collaborative funding and proper investment in these services can ensure the capacity of child helplines to address the diverse needs of children everywhere.
It’s time to ensure that no child’s voice is left unheard.