It is estimated that over one billion children between the ages of 2 and 17 have experienced violence. Violence against children occurs in every country, regardless of culture, socio-economic status, education, income, ethnicity and race.
Rising global risks are creating the conditions for the increased exposure of children to violence.
Today, children are not only at risk in physical spaces, but also online. As insecurity grows around the world, organized criminal and armed groups, including terrorist groups, are becoming more adept at targeting, recruiting and exploiting children.
And while the world is slowly coming to a consensus on the immediate dangers of climate change, there is little awareness of the impact of extreme climate events and forced displacement on children’s vulnerability to violence.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has supported more than 60 Member States in preventing and responding to violence against children and empowering children to become agents in their own protection since the launch of itsGlobal Programme to End Violence against Children in 2015.
In 2023, UNODC and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC) joined forces to launch the'Strategy to End Violence Against Children 2023-2030'. This strategy serves as a vehicle topromote innovation, partnership and coordination; and ensure coherence and consistency in preventing and responding to crime and violence against children.
The vision behind the 'Strategy to End Violence against Children 2023-2030’ is that children all over the world are free from crime and violence.
Children have the potential to transform societal dynamics and to initiate and promote change. UNODC and the OSRSG-VAC are working together to build a peaceful, inclusive, and just society, in which the role of children is valued and their rights are respected.
The study has seven key findings:
“As a compassionate and responsible society, it is our duty to approach this issue with empathy and understanding, and to ensure that these vulnerable children receive the care and support they need to move forward from their experiences,” said Andhik Chrisnayudhanto, Deputy Head for International Cooperation, National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), opening STRIVE Juvenile Indonesia’s fourth Project Coordination Meeting on 14 December 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
High-level national representatives from the security, child protection, justice and development sectors, as well as civil society gathered to celebrate and discuss three years of persistent efforts and achievements.
The meeting was led by BNPT and co-chaired by the European Union; and marked an important step in Indonesia’s efforts to prevent and respond to violence against children by terrorist and violent extremist groups.
All over the world, children are recruited and exploited by armed and organized criminal groups, including those designated as terrorist groups. Regardless of the groups’ labels, during their association, children in these contexts are exposed to insecurity and extreme levels of violence, including neglect and psychological violence.
The sexual abuse of children is a serious form of violence against children, and it is reviled in every country in the world. The creation, publication and repeated distribution of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is also a crime in virtually every jurisdiction. CSAM is both a consequence of and fuel for further abuse.
UNODC, in partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom, convened an expert group meeting in Vienna on 26-27 June 2023. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss some of the gaps and limitations in current approaches to the problem and to formulate new ways to accomplish the twin goals of removal of CSAM images online, linked to a comprehensive strategy to prevent the re-upload of known CSAM.
The meeting brought together experts in their individual capacities. Participants included child protection and criminal justice experts, academics, representatives of civil society organizations, the private sector and financial institutions.
The Vienna expert group meeting on CSAM removal will produce a chair’s summary and overview and follow up on any recommendations that might be announced.
Keeping children safe from harm and promoting their well-being is and must be everybody’s business.
This advocacy brief reflects on lessons arising from past and ongoing crises worldwide, outlines principles to guide action in response to similar crises in the future, and proposes policy actions to strengthen the effective protection of children. It is issued jointly by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC), in close partnership with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
The number of children on the move, including refugee and displaced children is increasing. This is putting huge pressure on governments, communities and the humanitarian agencies that work to protect them.
Displacement undermines the protection of children by disrupting their family and community support, increasing their poverty, and reducing their access to the economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to education and health. Many of these children – including migrant children – remain invisible to national child protection systems or are caught in a bureaucratic net of lengthy processes to determine their status, and this curtails their opportunities for a better future.
Coordination is vital amongst relevant authorities and entities at national and sub-national levels, civil society actors, international agencies and concerned governments to protect displaced children from all forms of violence.
Governments and the humanitarian community need to be held accountable to make the protection of children a top priority. In short, keeping children safe from harm and promoting their wellbeing is – and must be – everybody’s business...
UNODC-UNICEF-Save the Children and Wilton Park report on the impact of adversity, violence and trauma on adolescent brain development.
"Stories of Resilience": A documentary showcasing the youth-led awareness raising campaign implemented under the STRIVE Juvenile Project in Borno State, Nigeria.
The Nigeria Call for Action and the campaign 'Give peace a chance!
4million+ people reached with messages on peace and child protection / 20+ guests / 13 sessions.
Tune into the radio series overview!
To ensure efficient and effective protection for children, the UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children emphasizes close inter-agency cooperation. By partnering with key UN entities and representatives from regional and international organizations, we work together to avoid overlapping mandates and duplication of efforts. This united approach leverages the strengths of each partner, creating a cohesive and powerful network dedicated to ending violence against children.
Together, we're building a safer, brighter future for the world's children.