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- Public figures, including world-renowned actors Will Poulter, Forest Whitaker, and Gillian Anderson add their voices to open letter to world leaders
- One in two children globally – over 1bn minors – experience violence each year
- Leading experts against child violence, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege, stand alongside survivors such as Dr Bukola Ogunkua in calling for urgent action, backed by the World Health Organisation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and UNICEF
Coalition launches urgent call to end violence against children ahead of first-ever global ministerial conference
A powerful coalition of survivors, advocates, and experts from around the world has come together to launch a global initiative aimed at addressing the alarming issue of violence against children. According to World Health Organization figures, over 1 billion children—or one in two worldwide—experience violence every year. In response, the newly-formed group, Champions for Childhood, has released an open letter calling for urgent government action ahead of the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, scheduled to take place in Colombia this November.
Every year, countless children endure acts of violence in various forms, from sexual abuse, bullying, and gang violence to child marriage, online exploitation, violent discipline, and child labor. These experiences leave lifelong scars, undermining investments in their education, health, and overall well-being. Each act of violence increases a child’s vulnerability, trapping them in a dangerous cycle of harm that impacts societies globally.
In a united effort to raise awareness, survivors of violence have joined forces with prominent global figures, including actors, artists, and activists such as Calle & Poché, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, Shudu Musida, and Will Poulter. They are supported by leading experts like Bessel van der Kolk, child rights advocates Hina Jilani and Princess Mabel van Oranje, and Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Dr. Denis Mukwege and Kailash Satyarthi. Additionally, NGO leaders, including the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Secretary General of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, have joined the cause alongside heads of the “big six” child-focused agencies.
This global effort seeks to mobilize governments and inspire urgent action at both local and international levels. The group calls on world leaders attending the upcoming Colombia conference to focus on key strategies, including:
- Providing essential support for parents and caregivers.
- Creating safe, empowering school environments.
- Ensuring universal access to support services for children in need.
The open letter, released today, urges world leaders to make bold, innovative commitments that reflect the severity of the crisis:
“Our hands hold extraordinary power to comfort, cradle, and protect. Yet, they also have the power to harm. They type hateful messages, bruise fragile bodies, and withhold the care every child deserves. Childhood is in our hands, and the power to act is now in yours.”
The letter calls on global leaders to “change the course of a billion childhoods” and help secure a safer, more just future for generations to come. Supported by a global social media campaign, this message will reach millions, galvanizing public and political will to end violence against children. The full letter will be available on 17th September.
View the full letter HERE from 17th September.
Evidence for Change
Research shows that violence against children can be significantly reduced with the right interventions. Countries implementing evidence-based strategies have seen violence rates decrease by up to 50% in the short and medium term. World leaders have already committed to ending violence against children through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), but progress has stalled. The Champions for Childhood coalition urges these leaders to attend the Colombia conference with transformative commitments to address this urgent issue.
Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health at WHO, highlighted the importance of this moment:
“Half of all children endure violent acts annually, yet this issue remains underfunded and politically sidelined. Evidence shows that violence against children is preventable, and now is the time for governments to take decisive action to protect the 1 billion children who suffer each year.”
Dr. Bukola Ogunkua, a child behavioral health expert and survivor of child violence from Nigeria, shared her personal perspective:
“I am yet to find a bad child, but I have seen far too many children do really bad things because of what happened to them.”
This landmark conference presents a vital opportunity to protect current and future generations, securing the stability and prosperity of societies worldwide.
