ReliefWeb

Violence against children affects more than 1.7 billion children every year, in every community and every country. Children are being subjected to violence in their communities, schools and homes – the very places they should feel the most secure and safe. Violence is devastating for children, affecting their health, obstructing their education and diminishing their chances for a life free from poverty and discrimination. The impact of violence goes beyond the individual children, affecting families and communities, slowing economic development and eroding human and social capital.

But it does not have to be this way. Ending violence against children is possible, but it will take the world to make it happen. Living a life free from violence is the right of all girls and boys and the aspiration of parents, communities and governments across the world. Ensuring children can grow up in a safe, peaceful, nurturing and enabling environment provides a strong foundation for stable societies and is a critical element for inclusive economic growth.

Over the last 60 years, World Vision has been developing and adapting a unique community engagement model. The model enables us to address the root causes of problems that steal childhoods. We engage and work with all those who have a responsibility to protect children, starting with families and faith communities and extending to teachers, schools, local and traditional leaders, hospitals, police, government agencies, and courts. Informed by the INSPIRE strategies, World Vision ensures that solutions to violence are developed in partnership with and owned by all stakeholders. Interventions focus on improving laws and accountability, increasing social services and support, catalysing behaviour and attitude change, and strengthening child resilience. Through our experience, we have learned some big lessons. We hope those in power will hear these lessons and together we can work to end violence against children once and for all.