NEW DELHI: According to a report by the World Health Organisation, over 1 billion children are estimated to suffer from various forms of violence, such as child maltreatment, bullying, physical or emotional abuse,sexual violence.
According to the report, a child or adolescent dies from homicide every 13 minutes, amounting to approximately 40,000 preventable deaths each year. Only half of the affected children share their experiences of violence, and only 10% receive any assistance.
According to the World Health Organization, around 9 in 10 children still live in countries where prevalent forms of childhood violence, such as corporal punishment and sexual abuse, are not yet prohibited by law, and over half of all children aged 2-17—more than 1 billion—experience some form of violence each year, which contributes to anxiety, depression, risky behaviors like unsafe sex, smoking, and substance abuse, as well as reduced academic achievement.
Concerned with the rising violence against children, including corporal punishment, over 100 governments made historic commitments at a landmark event in Bogotá, Colombia, on Thursday to end violence against children. Nine of these governments pledged to ban corporal punishment, an issue that affects three out of every five children regularly in their homes. “Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific daily reality for millions of children around the world, leaving scars that span generations. Today, countries made critical pledges that, once enacted, could finally turn the tide on childhood violence. From establishing life-changing support for families to making schools safer and tackling online abuse, these actions will be fundamental to protecting children from lasting harm and poor health,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Around three in five children are regularly punished by physical means in their homes, while one in five girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence. Between 25% and 50% children are estimated to have experienced bullying. For adolescent males, violence often involving firearms or other weapons has become the leading cause of death. This violence not only constitutes a severe violation of children’s rights but also heightens the risk of both immediate and long-term health issues. For some children, it results in death or serious injury. Evidence shows that violence against children is preventable, and the health sector plays a critical role in addressing it.
Parenting support helps to avoid violent discipline and build positive relationships with their children; school-based interventions to strengthen life and social skills for children and adolescents, and prevent bullying; child-friendly social and health services for children that experience violence; laws that prohibit violence against children and reduce underlying risk factors such as access to alcohol and guns, and efforts to ensure safer internet use for children.
Research has shown that when countries effectively implement such strategies, they can reduce violence against children by as much as 20-50%.
In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the first global targets to end violence against children were established within the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. However, progress in reducing the overall prevalence of childhood violence has been slow, despite advancements in some individual countries.
