Commitments Must Be Translated into Action, Secretary-General Tells High-level Event on Ending Violence against Children, Stressing Ridding World of Menace within Grasp

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, at the high-level event on Ending Violence against Children, today: 

It is with a deep sense of responsibility that I join you today to discuss an issue that strikes at the very core of our humanity — ending violence against children.

I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of Sweden and the World Childhood Foundation for convening this event, along with the Special Representative on Violence against Children.

I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Her Royal Highness Princess Madeleine for her unwavering commitment as a champion for children.  Let me also remind us of the important leadership of Her Majesty Queen Silvia, on whose shoulders we stand when we speak about the rights of children.

Violence against children takes many forms — be it physical, sexual, or emotional — online and offline.

Every four minutes, a child is killed by an act of violence somewhere in the world.  About 90 million children alive today have experienced sexual violence.  And 35 per cent of all identified victims of trafficking are children.  246 million children experience violence in and around schools.  And as technology evolves, the risks children face can be amplified, as we see from the increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse material seen online.

The list goes on.  In fact, I could spend my entire speech listing horrifying statistics.  However, these statistics still fall short of depicting the full magnitude of this global tragedy.

I will never forget the 15 young girls from Sudan that I met last August who lived through, and continue to live through, the horrors and lasting trauma of violence and rape.  I was also inspired by their courage and conviction as they set about rebuilding their lives.  Ready to take on their futures.

It’s time we emulate that courage and fulfil the promise we made to end violence against children by 2030 — the least we can do to help heal their egregious wounds.  The transformative vision of the 2030 Agenda gives us a genuine pathway.

So far, we are far off-track from our goal, for many seasons.  But this is not the time to let our despair paralyze action.  There is hope.  Ending violence against children is within our grasp.  Powerful examples of action by States, civil society and other stakeholders demonstrate that change is possible.

We see countries transform political promises into robust legal and policy frameworks.  We see increased investment in services to nurture and heal children and families. 

And we see the digital environment offering opportunities. We must maximize these benefits while minimizing the risks to children online.  The recently adopted Global Digital Compact provides a crucial framework for achieving that. 

Across communities, religious and civic leaders are also promoting positive social norms that safeguard our children.  We see relentless efforts of civil society in both advocacy and service provision to children and families.  And we see the private sector increasingly assuming its role in nurturing safe environments for children.

Families and communities also play a critical role.  Parents and caregivers are essential in fostering a secure and nurturing environment and letting children have their childhood. Most importantly, we see children, young people and survivors becoming more involved in action to tackle violence against children.

There is growing evidence on what works in combating violence against children.  The building blocks are there.  And they must be placed on a foundation of political will and a unified approach to put children first.  Knowledge and commitment must be translated into concrete, sustainable and accelerated action.

This imperative was underscored at the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence against Children, held last week in Bogotá, Colombia. I like to commend the Governments of Colombia and Sweden for co-hosting this pivotal event, convening high-level delegations from over 120 countries to identify bold and innovative solutions.  Highlighting evidence-based approaches for the broadest and most enduring impact, supporting children and their caregivers through effective prevention and response.

Many countries committed to end childhood sexual violence, improve services for childhood violence survivors or tackle bullying, while others, to investment in critical parenting support or to introduce new digital safety initiatives and increase the legally permitted age of marriage.

It also saw the launch of a renewed global alliance of pathfinding countries to accelerate efforts to end violence against children. 

We have less than six years remaining to keep the promise of the 2030 Agenda to end violence against children.  As we mark the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child this year, we must accelerate action with the scale and urgency needed. 

Violence against children is widespread and pervasive, but it is also preventable.  Let us unite with unyielding resolve to secure a world where violence against children is relegated to a memory of the past.