PAHO Director calls for urgent action to end violence against children in the Americas – PAHO/WHO

Globally, one in two children and adolescents suffers some form of violence each year. In the Americas, the homicide rate among children under 18 years of age is the highest in the world.

Bogotá, Colombia, November 7, 2024 (PAHO) — At the inauguration of the First Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence against ChildrenDr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), issued an urgent call for action to address violence against children, adolescents and young people in the Americas.

“The Americas face the greatest challenge, but we are also the ones who best understand this issue,” highlighted the PAHO Director. “The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only reinforced the urgency to act,” he added, underscoring the need for immediate and effective solutions.

Dr. Barbosa emphasized the importance of multi-sector collaboration and evidence-based interventions to address this public health problem, which not only affects individuals and communities but also has significant consequences for sustainable development and countries’ economies.

«Globally, one in two children and adolescents aged 2 to 17 years suffers some type of violence every year. This violence takes many forms, all equally unacceptable and with enormous consequences,» said Dr. Barbosa. «The Americas have the highest homicide rate for children under 18 years of age in the world, more than three times the world average (5.8 per 100,000, compared to the global rate of 1.7),» he added.

Regarding adolescent girls, the Director of PAHO pointed out that worldwide, one in four girls between the ages of 15 and 19 has experienced intimate partner violence before turning 20 years old. «Sexual violence and early and forced unions are challenges that cannot wait to be addressed. We must act urgently to break this cycle of violence,» he said.

“At the end of today alone, more than 200 children, adolescents and young people (up to 29 years old) will have died from homicide in the Americas,” he stated. «This Region is famous for having the highest homicide rate in the world, especially among young men, a high acceptance of corporal punishment and gun violence in our schools and streets,» he added.

Dr. Barbosa stressed that the evidence suggests that changes in social norms that discourage violence can be achieved. “By raising awareness and creating safeguards, we can reduce the number of children who witness violence in their homes or schools and help prevent future cycles of violence,” she said.

The conference in Bogotá represents a milestone in the collective fight against violence against children, as representatives from various nations come together to share knowledge and commit to concrete solutions. The conference will drive policy change, mobilize resources and demonstrate that violence prevention is possible.

The PAHO Director expressed his gratitude to Colombia for hosting the event and highlighted PAHO’s continued work in strengthening health systems to support survivors and promote policy changes that protect communities. «The health sector has a key role in early detection and supporting survivors,» he said.

“We have the solutions to prevent violence; “This is the time to act,” he declared. «We must focus on what we know works: evidence-based interventions that have been shown to have real impact.» In this sense, he highlighted the importance of the INSPIRE framework, which outlines seven evidence-based strategies to end violence against children and adolescents, ranging from strengthening laws and policies to changing social norms and providing care to survivors.

The conference will launch new initiatives, such as WHO’s ‘Childhood without Violence’ campaign to expand the reach of INSPIRE. This is the first movement against violence led by children and adolescents. It will also result in a political statement to consolidate the commitments made.

Dr. Barbosa also emphasized the importance of addressing the underlying social causes of violence, such as poverty, inequality and discrimination. “We cannot address violence without paying attention to social inequalities, including migration, ethnicity, disability and socioeconomic status. “We have the collective responsibility to respond first to those furthest behind,” he stated.

In this context, the Director of PAHO reaffirmed the Organization’s commitment to collaborating with governments and organizations to implement effective strategies and ensure that children, adolescents and young people, including survivors and vulnerable communities, participate in the design of solutions.

«I am personally committed to bringing visibility to this issue and supporting innovative solutions to ensure that this conference leads to real change,» Dr. Barbosa emphasized. “Together we can ensure that children, adolescents and young people live long, happy, healthy lives free of violence.”

About the First Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence against Children

The First Global Ministerial Conference to End Violence against Children, convened by the Government of Colombia with the support of the Government of Sweden, UNICEF, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on Violence against Children and the Organization World Health Organization (WHO), seeks to promote policy changes, mobilize resources and demonstrate that violence prevention is possible. Ministerial delegations, together with children, youth, survivors and civil society allies, will unite around a shared and bold commitment to end all forms of violence against children. Half of all children in the world – nearly one billion – experience some form of violence, whether at home, school, community or online, including physical punishment, bullying, and emotional and sexual abuse.

About PAHO’s work to end violence against children

PAHO works closely with its Member States and other stakeholders to prevent and respond to violence against children, adolescents and young people in the Americas. Its priorities include raising awareness about the need to adopt effective measures to reduce violence in the region, identifying and disseminating evidence-based good practices, and providing technical support to countries to strengthen their prevention and response capacities. PAHO also works on training health personnel, developing clinical protocols, and collecting data to improve the health system’s response to violence. The organization also promotes intersectoral alliances to carry out coordinated actions and address the multiple forms of violence that affect children in the region.