‘Turning the tide’ on childhood violence

Among the pledges, nine countries pledged to ban corporal punishment, a problem that regularly affects three in five children in their homes.

“Although largely preventable, violence remains a terrifying daily reality for millions of children around the world – leaves scars that span generations,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of the World Health Organization (WHO) General Manager.

“Today, countries have made critical commitments that, once enacted, they can finally turn the tide on childhood violence,” he added.

One billion children affected

It is estimated that more than half (about one billion) of children ages 2 to 17 worldwide have experienced some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (including corporal punishment, the most common form of childhood violence), physical or emotional abuse, and sexual violence.

Three in five children are regularly punished physically in their homes and One in five girls and one in seven boys experience sexual violence.

For some of these children, violence results in death or serious injury. Every 13 minutes a child or teenager dies as a result of murder – equating to approximately 40,000 preventable deaths each year. Moreover, violence, often involving firearms or other weapons, is now the leading cause of death among adolescent males.

For some, exposure to violence is devastating and lifelong results. These include anxiety and depression, unsafe sex, risky behaviors such as smoking and substance abuse, and decreased academic achievement.

Violence against children is also often hidden. WHO It is estimated that less than half of affected children tell anyone they have been subjected to violence and less than 10 percent receive any assistance.

Prevention strategies implemented

At the Bogotá conference, countries committed to a set of evidence-based strategies aimed at preventing childhood violence.

Key measures include expanding parenting support programs to encourage positive, nonviolent discipline. School-based programs that target bullying and improve social skills also play an important role in promoting safer learning spaces.

Governments also made commitments. Improving child-friendly health and social services to support young survivorsNew digital security initiatives aim to protect children from online exploitation.

Research shows that implementing these strategies can reduce violence against children by 20 to 50 percent; This underscores the importance of these new commitments in turning the tide against childhood violence.