Countries have pledged their efforts in combatting childhood violence affecting over one billion children globally.

Over 100 governments made historic pledges today to end childhood violence, with nine vowing to ban corporal punishment – an issue affecting three out of every five children regularly in their households. Violence remains an unfortunate reality for millions of children around the globe despite our best efforts, with long-lasting scars being left by this practice,” according to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “On Tuesday, countries made significant commitments that, once implemented, may finally help end childhood violence. From providing essential lifelong support for families to creating safer schools or combatting online abuse, such steps will play a pivotal role in safeguarding children from suffering lasting physical or psychological injury or illness. “Over half of children worldwide – around one billion – are estimated to experience some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (corporal punishment being the most frequent form), bullying, physical or emotional abuse and sexual exploitation. Violence against children often goes undetected and remains underreported. WHO estimates that only half of affected children report experiencing violence to someone and under 10% get any assistance for it. Such abuse violates children’s rights while simultaneously increasing risk for immediate and long-term health concerns. Violence among children often results in death or serious injury; every 13 minutes one dies from homicide– equating to approximately 40 000 preventable deaths each year – while for others experiencing violence can have devastating long-term repercussions. There have been reports of anxiety and depression among children of abusive environments; risky behaviors including unsafe sex, smoking and substance abuse; as well as reduced academic achievement. Studies indicate that violence against children can be prevented with health services playing an integral part. Parental support to reduce violent discipline and foster positive relationships with their children; school-based interventions designed to strengthen life and social skills of students while combatting bullying; child-friendly social and health services, child protection laws that prohibit violence against children while also decreasing access to alcohol and guns and efforts that encourage safer internet usage for kids are proven solutions. Studies have demonstrated that when countries successfully implement violence reduction strategies for children, such as child protection laws or Sustainable Development Goals, violence against them is reduced significantly between 20-50%. According to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, global targets were set out in this regard in their Sustainable Development Goals. Progress toward decreasing overall prevalence of child violence has been gradual despite gains made in certain countries. WHO offers essential support in its fight to end child violence through technical guidance, effective strategies for prevention and response planning, research data gathering activities including global status reports. Key statisticsOver half of all children – more than 1 billion worldwide aged 2-17 – experience violence every year.Approximately three out of five are regularly punished physically in their homes and one fifth of girls and one seventh of boys experience sexual violence; between 25%-50% children may have experienced bullying; violence (usually firearm-related or weapons related) has now become the leading cause of male deaths worldwide.