Ending violence against children - Deputy UN Chief | United Nations

Remarks by by Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, at High-level event on ending violence against children: from commitment to action. ------------------------------------------------------ Your Royal Highness Princess Madeleine, Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, 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. Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, Violence against children takes many forms – be it physical, sexual, or emotional – online and offline. Every 4 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 percent 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. Full Remarks: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/deputy-secretary-general/statement/2024-11-14/deputy-secretary-generals-remarks-high-level-event-ending-violence-against-children-commitment-action-prepared-for-delivery


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