A Global Call: Survivors, Advocates and Allies Demand Action to End Violence Against Children

Survivors, experts and advocates from around the world are launching a global effort to tackle the shocking issue of violence against children. Today, they released an open letter demanding urgent action from world leaders ahead of the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, which will take place in Colombia this November.

Every year, one in two children across the globe are subjected to violence. From sexual abuse, to bullying, gang violence, child marriage, online harm, violent discipline, and child labour, acts of violence take many forms – all leaving scars that can last a lifetime. Violence against children erodes every investment made in their future, from education to physical and mental health, affecting societies on a global scale. This issue is cyclical, with each act of violence increasing vulnerability to further harm.

To put a human face to this devastating statistic, survivors of violence have come together with high-profile advocates and activists across the world, including artists, actors, creators and authors such as Calle & Poché, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, Shudu Musida, and Will Poulter. They have also been joined by leading experts like trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk; child rights activists Hina Jilani and Princess Mabel van Oranje; Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Dr Denis Mukwege and Kailash Satyarthi; and NGO leaders such as the President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Secretary General of World Organization of the Scout Movement.

As a survivor of child violence, Dr Daniela Ligiero, member of the Global Survivor Council, shared their personal experience:

“I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I decided to go public with my story about 13 years ago when I was working at the US Department of State on issues of gender-based violence for foreign assistance. I came forward because I felt like the silence around the issue of sexual violence was deafening and there were no survivors at the table–at least not that were survivors who were public about it.

If we work together, centering survivor voices, we can tell a powerful story that can help create real change.”

Daniela is not alone. 1 billion children across the world are victims of violence every year. By raising awareness of this and mobilising governments, the group seeks to inspire urgent action and drive change at both local and global levels. They are calling on world leaders to use the upcoming Ministerial Conference to focus on critical strategies, such as ensuring that parents and caregivers receive essential support, creating safe and empowering school environments, and making response and support services universally accessible to every child in need. This conference is a vital opportunity to address both the immediate needs and systemic changes required to protect current and future generations of children.

Evidence shows that with the right approaches, violence against children can be significantly reduced. Countries implementing evidence-based strategies can see reductions in violence by up to 50% in the short and medium term. World leaders have already committed to end violence against children in all its forms under the Global Goals – and now is the time to put that commitment into action.

The powerful open letter calls on world leaders not only to attend the Colombia conference but to step up with concrete, innovative pledges that match the scale and severity of the crisis.

View the full list of signatories and read the letter HERE.