More than 100 governments pledged new measures to combat violence against children at a landmark conference in Bogotá, Colombia, addressing an issue that affects over 1 billion children annually.
The event, hosted by Colombia and Sweden alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the United Nations Special Representative on Violence Against Children, marks a historic step toward ending physical, emotional, and sexual violence against children.
Among the commitments, nine countries pledged to ban corporal punishment, including Burundi, Czechia, Sri Lanka, and Nigeria, where the ban will apply to schools.
“Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific day-to-day reality for millions of children around the world – leaving scars that span generations,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
Dr. Tedros highlighted the importance of interventions such as parenting education, school safety initiatives, and digital safety laws to protect children from lasting harm.
Globally, over half of all children aged 2-17 experience some form of violence annually, while three out of five children are physically punished at home, WHO data shows.
Every 13 minutes, a child dies from violence, equating to 40,000 preventable deaths each year, with boys particularly at risk of firearm-related deaths and girls facing high rates of sexual abuse.
Several countries announced bold steps to address these issues.
Tanzania committed to establishing child protection desks in all 25,000 schools, while Spain announced plans for a digital law promoting online safety for children.
The Solomon Islands pledged to raise the minimum age of marriage from 15 to 18 to reduce risks of violence against adolescent girls.
The United Kingdom and partners also plan to launch a Global Taskforce to address violence in schools.
The conference reaffirmed the importance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which call for the elimination of all forms of violence against children.
Despite progress in some nations, around 90% of children worldwide live in countries where forms of violence such as corporal punishment remain legal.
WHO emphasized that evidence-based strategies, including parenting programs and improved child protection laws, can reduce violence by up to 50% when properly implemented.
The event saw over 1,000 attendees, including high-ranking officials, survivors, and civil society representatives, demonstrating the global commitment to protecting children from abuse.
