Ministerial Conference is landmark in global commitment to ending violence against children
From 7-8 November 2024, 1,400 delegates including over 130 governments, 80 Ministers, children, young people, survivors, CSOs, academics and experts, international agencies and funders met in Bogota, Colombia, for the First Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, collectively determined to make decisive progress in ending violence against children.
Hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Sweden, in partnership with WHO, UNICEF and the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, Ministerial Conference delegates were enthused and energized by the rich and dynamic two-day programme as well as 33 satellite events over the days preceding the main conference hosted by a range of violence prevention partners and 19 formal side events hosted during the conference.
- More than 100 countries made pledges to end violence against children, including:
- Seven countries pledged to enact legislation prohibiting corporal punishment – Burundi, Czechia, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and Uganda in all settings – and Nigeria and Gambia in schools.
- Kenya, Benin, Nigeria and Uganda announced intention to pursue a new UN (WHA) resolution on ending corporal punishment.
- Almost 50 countries committed to investing in parenting support to prevent violence against children.
- Almost 50 countries committed to investing in school-based interventions to prevent violence against children.
- The United Kingdom Government along with other partners committed to launch a Global Taskforce on ending violence in and through schools;
- Tanzania committed to introduce Child Protection Desks in all 25,000 schools;
- Spain committed to pursue a new digital law to promote digital safety;
- The Solomon Islands pledged to raise the legal age of marriage from 15 to 18 years;
- Many other countries made commitments to strengthen national policies and/or develop specific plans to tackle violence against children. Some countries such as Kenya submitted comprehensive, costed and nationally-scaled plans to end violence against children.
- A call to action: signed by 45 governments at the close of the Conference, and still open for government endorsement for a few more days.
- Launch of a youth movement to end violence against children by participating youth delegates
- Announcement by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation of a grant of USD $125 million
Focus on ending corporal punishment at the Ministerial Conference
The urgent need to take action to end corporal punishment was raised repeatedly during the Conference. Speakers noted that it is by some distance the most common form of violence experienced by children, that it's legality in many countries is a critical breach of children's rights and a fundamental obstacle in any effort to end violence against children. Furthermore, they noted that evidence and experience show it can be prevented through legislation, interventions and other public education measures.
Countries pledge to prohibit and eliminate corporal punishment of children!
Seven countries pledged to prohibit corporal punishment – Burundi, Czechia, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka, and Uganda in all settings, and Nigeria and Gambia in schools. These countries have a combined child population of approximately 145 million children.
24 countries pledged to take specific action to eliminate corporal punishment, most commonly by promoting positive parenting and positive discipline in schools. These countries included Austria, Benin, Botswana, Cambodia, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, Eswatini, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Timor Leste, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uganda.
Kenya, Benin, Nigeria and Uganda announced their intention to pursue a new UN (WHA) resolution on ending corporal punishment.
Read all the government pledges to address corporal punishment and promote positive discipline.
See all the pledges made by governments and organisations to end violence against children.
Ending corporal punishment of children: The march of progress - High-Level learning exchange on prohibiting and eliminating violent punishment of children
Satellite event, 6th November 2024
There was energy in the room! We were honoured to hear Ms. Angela Chomba Kawandami, Permanent Secretary for the Government of Zambia talk about Zambia’s comprehensive, committed, data-driven and evidence-based approach to ending corporal punishment of children in their homes, schools and all other settings.
The government delegations of Botswana, Cambodia, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Sri Lanka and key CSO partners joined the discussion, talking about their commitment and how to overcome the challenges in ending violent punishment of children.
Sincere thanks to organising partners ChildFund Alliance, Save the Children International and the World Health Organization, and expert international academics Professors Liz Gershoff and Jorge Cuartas.
Watch the recording here.
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Ending Corporal Punishment: an essential foundation for ending all violence against children
Official side event, 7th November
In this lunchtime session hosted by Professor Ann Skelton, Chair of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ministers, top academics, UN and international agencies and a child, Paolo Sofia, discussed the latest developments in political action, legislation and implementation, research and global progress. Together they charted a worldwide movement towards ending corporal punishment, as an essential and powerful foundation for ending all violence against children.
Media coverage of the Ministerial Conference
- Eight countries pledge to ban corporal punishment in ‘fundamental shift’ for children
- Let’s make protecting children from violence a priority Commentary by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General; Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director; and Najat Maalla M’Jid, United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children
- What does safe mean to you? Young photographers share images of family, friendship and hope – in pictures
- On the Road to Bogotá - Africa’s pivotal role in ending violence against children
- ‘We are at a crossroads’: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issue new video message
- Lutte contre la violence à l'égard des enfants : Ouverture d'une conférence historique en Colombie
- Sobrevivientes de pederastia: “Los políticos no nos pueden seguir fallando”