New Delhi (NVI): A Global status report on preventing violence against children has called for more government action and warns of a ‘dramatic impact’ of Covid-19 if the issue is not approached appropriately.
According to the report, half of the world’s children, or approximately 1 billion children each year are affected by physical, sexual or psychological violence, suffering injuries, disabilities and death, because countries have failed to follow established strategies to protect them.
The findings have emerged in a new report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, UNESCO, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children and the End Violence Partnership.
WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “There is never any excuse for violence against children.” “We have evidence-based tools to prevent it, which we urge all countries to implement. Protecting the health and well-being of children is central to protecting our collective health and well-being, now and for the future,” he said.
This report is the first of its kind, charting progress in 155 countries against the “INSPIRE” framework, a set of seven strategies for preventing and responding to violence against children.
The report signals a clear need in all countries to scale up efforts to implement them. While nearly all countries (88 per cent) have key laws in place to protect children against violence, less than half of countries (47 per cent) said these were being strongly enforced.
It also includes the first-ever global homicide estimates specifically for children under 18 years of age – previous estimates were based on data that included 18 to 19-year olds. It finds that, in 2017, around 40,000 children were victims of homicide.
UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said, “Violence against children has always been pervasive, and now things could be getting much worse.”
“Lockdowns, school closures and movement restrictions have left far too many children stuck with their abusers, without the safe space that school would normally offer. It is urgent to scale up efforts to protect children during these times and beyond, including by designating social service workers as essential and strengthening child helplines,” she added.
Of the INSPIRE strategies, only access to schools through enrollment showed the most progress with 54 per cent of countries reporting that a sufficient number of children in need were being reached in this way and between 32 per cent to 37 per cent of countries considered that victims of violence could access support services, while 26 per cent of countries provided programmes on parent and caregiver support, as per the report.
“21 per cent countries had programmes to change harmful norms; and 15 per cent of countries had modifications to provide safe physical environments for children.
“Although a majority of countries (83 per cent) have national data on violence against children, only 21% used these to set baselines and national targets to prevent and respond to violence against children.
About 80 per cent of countries have national plans of action and policies but only one-fifth have plans that are fully funded or have measurable targets. A lack of funding combined with inadequate professional capacity is likely contributing factors and a reason why implementation has been slow,” the report stated.
Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General said, “During the COVID-19 pandemic, and the related school closures, we have seen a rise in violence and hate online – and this includes bullying. Now, as schools begin to re-open, children are expressing their fears about going back to school.”
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that schools are safe environments for all children. We need to think and act collectively to stop violence at school and in our societies at large,” Audrey said.
Apart from this, stay-at-home measures including school closures have limited the usual sources of support for families and individuals such as friends, extended family or professionals.
This further erodes victims’ ability to successfully cope with crises and the new routines of daily life, according to the study. Spikes in calls to helplines for child abuse and intimate partner violence have been observed.
While online communities have become central to maintain many children’s learning, support and play, an increase in harmful online behaviours including cyberbullying, risky online behavior and sexual exploitation have been identified, as per the statement.
Najat Maalla M’jid, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General on Violence against Children said, “Whilst this report was being finalized, confinement measures and the disrupted provision of already limited child protection services exacerbated the vulnerability of children to various forms of violence.”
-RJV/ARK
