VIOLENCE: Children worldwide demand an end to violence

On the 20th of October thousands of children gathered all over the world to call on governments to put an end to the daily violence they experience. – Stop beating us, stop exploiting us, stop oppressing us, was the clear message sent by children across the world on Save the Children’s Day of Action organised by Save the Children Alliance Task Group on Violence against Children. Children from over 30 countries demonstrated to end violence against them.

• Only 2.4 per cent of the world’s children have the same legal protection against violence as adults.
• 40 million children under the age of 15 are victims of violence every year.
• 60 million females, mostly from Asia, are “missing” – killed by infanticide, selective abortion, and deliberate lack of nutrition or healthcare.
• 106 countries permit corporal punishment in schools and 147 within alternative care settings. Two thirds of all mothers in the UK admit to smacking their babies before they are one year old. In Afghanistan, 82 per cent of children report having been slapped, kicked or beaten. Adult’s violence against children is common all over the world.

- I was beaten every day at school and every night I went home and cried. In the end I was too scared to go anymore. No child in Uganda should be hit, says Michael, 12 year old from Uganda.

Save the Children’s Day of Action is the largest global campaign by children. It came as governments worldwide met at the UN to decide whether to take historic action to end violence against children. Last year on Save the Children’s Day of Action, children in over 30 countries around the world staged events to protest against all forms of violence suffered by children, including physical and humiliating punishment, sexual abuse and exploitation, early marriage, neglect and torture. Children across the world united to call upon their government to make ending violence against children a top priority.

- It is high time the Government legislated to protect their most vulnerable citizens from violence. Subjecting children to physical or sexual violence can have horrific consequences that can last throughout their lives. In long terms violence against children develops negative and costly effects for the whole society. The world’s governments must now act to show that violence is not the answer, said Gabriella Olofsson, coordinator global child protection at Save the Children Sweden.

For more information on the Global Day of Action, contact Kristina Granqvist at Save the Children Sweden at: [email protected].

Children from the following countries participated in activities to protest against violence against them: Lithuania, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Romania, Ethiopia, Southern Sudan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Yemen, Lebanon, OPT, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Uruguay.