[NEW YORK, 17 October 2023] Together for Girls CEO and President Dr. Daniela Ligiero has been honored by the international foundation founded by Queen Silvia of Sweden to end violence against children.
At the annual World Childhood Foundation USA gala Dr Ligiero received the award for her work to elevate survivor voices and create a global movement to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation through both Together for Girls and the Brave Movement.
A survivor of childhood sexual violence herself, Dr. Ligiero has led the Together for Girls partnership in its mission to end all forms of violence against children since 2016. Uniting governments, UN Agencies, and civil society to end violence against children and adolescents, Together for Girls uses a model of data and advocacy to drive action in over twenty countries.
Dr. Ligiero also co-founded the Brave Movement in 2022. Brave is a survivor-led global movement aiming to end childhood sexual violence through policy changes on issues such as ending statutes of limitations and ensuring online safety for children.
In her acceptance speech at the gala, Dr. Ligiero said: “I am truly humbled to be honored by the World Childhood Foundation in recognition of the work of Together for Girls and the Brave Movement to end sexual violence against children. I would like to thank the World Childhood Foundation for their work to prevent and address child sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence against children globally. In particular, I would like to thank Queen Silvia of Sweden for taking on this issue more than 20 years ago when no one else would. She paved the way for so many of us working to protect children from violence, and continues to do so through her work with World Childhood Foundation. Today, our work to prevent violence against children has expanded into the online space. The fight to build a safer Internet is at a pivotal stage and can be vicious, due to the many powerful forces against us, but seeing survivor-led activism growing in strength - including in Sweden - gives me daily strength and solace.”
Mary Pulido, Ph.D., Executive Director of Childhood USA said: “Childhood USA is proud to honour Dr. Ligiero for her remarkably effective work to help end sexual abuse and violence against children. Her tireless efforts to create global partnerships have united governments, UN agencies, and civil society towards this powerful goal, and her unique ability to use data and advocacy to drive meaningful action around the world is truly inspiring.”
Last year, Dr. Ligiero contributed to the World Childhood Foundation’s launch of the U.S. Pilot Out of the Shadows Index (OOSI), a framework that proposes a holistic approach to the prevention and response to child sexual violence. Researched and developed by Economist Impact, the US Pilot OOSI builds on the Global Out of the Shadows Index and helps uncover how 12 states are tackling CSEA both in person and online.
Dr. Ligiero was honored alongside Hans Vestberg, Chairman & CEO of Verizon, and Jennifer Wortham, Chair of Global Collaborative, for their contributions to preventing, responding and ending violence against children.
The gala was attended by high-profile guests including World Childhood Foundation founder Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, and Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine, who currently serves as the foundation's honorary chair.
About Dr. Daniela Ligiero
Dr. Daniela Ligiero is an advocate, psychologist and survivor of childhood sexual violence. She is the CEO and President of Together for Girls and the co-founder of the Brave Movement. Before her tenure at Together for Girls, Dr. Ligiero served as the Vice President of Girls and Women's Strategy at the UN Foundation, where she developed the foundation's gender integration strategy. Previously, at the U.S. Department of State, she pioneered the integration of gender issues into foreign policy and global health investments. Notably, she helped develop the first-ever International U.S. Government Strategy to End Gender-Based Violence and the largest investment in adolescent girls' health, the PEPFAR DREAMS program.
About Together for Girls
Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Active in over 20 countries, Together for Girls unites actors that often do not work together, including national governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, civil society, and survivors. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice.
About the Brave Movement
Hosted by Together for Girls, the Brave Movement is a survivor-led global movement campaigning to end childhood sexual violence. It is led by 14 powerful survivors and allied partners. It is demanding bold and transformative action to mobilize billions for programs focused on prevention, healing and justice worldwide, abolish statutes of limitation in every nation, and create a safer internet for children.
About World Childhood Foundation USA
For over 20 years World Childhood Foundation USA’s mission, founded by Her Majesty Queen Silvia of Sweden, has been to inspire, promote, and develop solutions to end sexual abuse, exploitation, and violence against children.
MEDIA CONTACT
Marek Pruszewicz – marek@togetherforgirls.org