Unicef urges UK to lead on tackling ‘epidemic’ of violence against children
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Version 0 of 1. The UK government should be at the forefront of efforts to protect children from a global “epidemic of violence” that results in the death of a boy or girl every five minutes, the UN children’s agency has suggested. According to a new report from Unicef UK, 345 children under the age of 20 could die from violence each day over the next year if the world fails to agree a commitment to safeguarding young people in their homes, schools and communities. The study, which identified El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela, Haiti, and Lesotho as the countries with the highest child murder rates, found that more than 75% of child deaths due to violence each day are the result of interpersonal violence, rather than conflict. It also found that children living in poverty – wherever they are in the world – are most likely to be victims of violence. The effects of abuse, says the study, are long lasting: not only do child victims of physical, sexual and emotional abuse show brain activity similar to that of soldiers who have seen combat, a third of them are likely to develop long-lasting symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Although Unicef estimates that a billion children live in areas affected by conflict, its child protection chief, Susan Bissell, said the violence experienced by boys and girls was far from confined to the battlefield, or to poorer nations. “We see violence associated with armed gangs – particularly in Central America – but what’s shocking is that we’re really talking about everyday acts of violence, including sexual violence, corporal punishment, bullying in playgrounds, violence at the hands of a teacher and violence in the online community,” said Bissell. “This is part of everyday life for children everywhere around the world. But none of it is inevitable: it is preventable. The wake-up call is to say this is happening in your backyard, this is happening around the corner, this is happening across the ocean and we need to take charge and do something about it.” The report – Children in danger: act to end violence against children – says the world’s failure to tackle the issue has made it impossible to deliver the millennium development goals (MDGs) in full, leaving young victims and survivors of violence socially and economically stranded. It urges governments to make a firm commitment to child protection as they discuss the sustainable development goals (SDGs), which will replace the MDGs at the end of next year. A target on the issue has already been suggested as part of the proposed goal on promoting “peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development”. The report calls on the world to “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children”. Failure to agree and support such a target, says Unicef, risks reversing the gains made in health and education. According to the report, only 41 countries have implemented an explicit ban on violence against children, while only 2% of countries have a comprehensive legal framework to prevent violence. Noting the UK’s record of campaigning against female genital mutilation, child marriage and sexual violence in conflict, Unicef UK urges Britain to take its place “at the forefront” of moves to protect children from violence. The foreword to the report, written by Baroness Doreen Lawrence – whose son, Stephen, was murdered in London 21 years ago – urges the British government to “show global leadership by ensuring the new [SDG] framework includes an unequivocal commitment to ending violence against children” and by ensuring that commitments are translated into action. “Violence can touch every child’s life – whether directly or indirectly – in every part of the world,” said Lawrence. “The scale of the problem, and the extent of its reach, must not lead to inaction. Without ending the epidemic of violence, vital progress in areas like health and education – all over the world – will be undermined and millions more children will be placed at risk.” The report proposes six strategies for tackling “a global problem of epidemic proportions”: supporting parents, caregivers and families; helping children manage the risks they face; changing attitudes that encourage violence and discrimination; promoting and providing support services for children; implementing laws and policies that protect children, and carrying out data collection and research to highlight the scale of the problem. Failure to act quickly and multilaterally, says Unicef, could result in a substantial increase in the global child murder rate, while also raising the prospect of another generation growing up with the notion that violence is acceptable. “We live in a world where some children are too scared to walk out of their own front doors or play on their streets,” said David Bull, executive director of Unicef UK. “We want children living in fear to have a chance of feeling safe and secure. A global target would galvanise action to make the world safer for children. We know from Unicef’s work on the ground that violence can be prevented and survivors supported to rebuild their lives – but this work needs to be rolled out on a wider scale. Each day we delay more children will be exposed to the corrosive impact of violence.” A DfID spokesman said: “We fully support Unicef’s campaign to end violence against children. Good governance, peaceful societies and the rule of law are all key UK priorities for negotiations post-2015 and are key to protecting children globally.” |