Media coverage

Data confirms alarming global child abuse rates

Jamaica’s first Violence Against Children and Youth Survey report to be released Nov 14

Will a landmark global conference finally put ending violence against children at the top of the political agenda?

Compromisso político e regulação on-line são cruciais no combate à violência contra crianças, diz ativista e sobrevivente de abuso

Uganda: Report Reveals High Rates of Violence Against Children in Uganda's Refugee Settlements

Dutch Olympian who raped a 12-year-old girl ‘is not a paedophile’, official says

There has been mounting public anger at the presence of the beach volleyball player Van de Velde, who was convicted of raping a 12-year-old British girl in 2016. The International Olympic Committee faced calls for an investigation into how a convicted child rapist has been allowed to compete at Paris 2024.

Why investing in education means investing in child safety

All children have a right to learn. The threat of violence stops many from going to school and many more from achieving learning outcomes. If they are serious about education, governments must invest in understanding the nature and drivers of violence against children and use data and evidence to ensure their safety.

To Truly Invest in Children, Africa’s Leaders Must Invest in What Keeps Them Safe

We are more than halfway to the 2030 deadline for achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, but most African countries are struggling to make sufficient progress. Poverty, high unemployment rates, and inadequate and unequal access to education and healthcare across much of the continent reflect how far we are from reaching these targets. But despite the scale of its development challenges, Africa has a chance to meet them by investing in its greatest resource: its young people.

Kenya has witnessed reduction in Violence Against Children cases by 24% in the last 15 years

The Country has witnessed a reduction in the number of violence Against children cases by 24 per cent in the last 15 years. According to a survey conducted by the Directorate of Children service and that covered the period between 2010 and 2019, cases of sexual abuse among girls aged 13 to 17 however remain rampant. As Kasichana Masha reports, the Principal Secretary for Social Protection Joseph Motari is calling for more stakeholders’ engagement to fully implement the Children Act 2022.

Girl Power: Q&A with Together for Girls

Experiences of violence during childhood have lifelong adverse effects in terms of physical and mental health, social outcomes, educational attainment and financial well-being. Concerningly, childhood exposure to violence increases the risk of further exposure to violence later on in life. Goal 16.2 of the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development strives to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against, and torture of, children.” Although both male and female children have equivalent risks of enduring physical abuse and neglect, girls face a higher risk of experiencing sexual abuse, the World Health Organization highlights.

Why education has to start with keeping children safe

Last year, the United Nations declared November 18 World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence. The creation of this international day was a milestone in the work to increase global awareness of the horrific prevalence of sexual violence against children and the life-altering impact it can inflict. Ending such violence should be a priority for every government. Historically, this has not been the case. Yet keeping children and adolescents safe is a vital foundation in their development and the cost of failing to do so is paid not just by them, but entire societies.

How African nations harness data to help end violence against children

Several African governments are gathering data on the prevalence of violence against children as a first step to tackle the issue — and it’s working. Survey data for Eswatini and Kenya collected at the country level and compared over time show a marked reduction in the number of children experiencing a form of abuse.