By Chidinma Ufomadu
One billion children across the world suffer from sexual abuse and other forms of violence annually.
This finding was made available by the United Nations Organisation in a report titled, “The Global Status Report on Preventing Violence Against Children 2020.”
While lamenting that the world citizens have failed to protect around one billion children from physical, sexual or psychological violence, suffering injuries, disabilities and some leading to death, the World body said overwhelming majority of countries lag behind in adhering to means adopted to protect them.
The novel report signals a necessity for all countries to improve on efforts to implement them.
According to the United Nations, despite the fact that almost 88% of the countries have major laws in place to protect children against violence, the laws were only being implemented in less than 47% of the countries.
For children below the age of 18, the novel report comprises the first ever global homicide estimates.
Previously existing estimates of homicides, were for children that ranged from 18-19years old. It finds that, in 2017, around 40,000 children were victims of homicide.
Talking further on the novel report, Henrietta Fore, the Executive Director of United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), said that “Violence against children has always been pervasive and now things could be getting much worse.”
She maintained that “Lockdowns, school closures and movement restrictions have left far too many children stuck with their abusers, without the safe space that school would normally offer. It is urgent to scale up efforts to protect children during these times and beyond, including by designating social service workers as essential and strengthening child helplines.”
The report, which was the first global homicide estimates specifically set aside for children under the age 18 years, discovered that in 2017, about 40,000 children were victims of homicide.
In line with the “Inspire” framework of the United Nations, Henrietta lamented that only few victims of violence could access support services.
“Between 32% to 37% of countries considered that victims of violence could access support services, while 26% of countries provided programmes on parent and caregiver support.
“21% of countries had programmes to change harmful norms; and 15% of countries had modifications to provide safe physical environments for children.
“Although a majority of countries (83%) have national data on violence against children, only 21% used these to set baselines and national targets to prevent and respond to violence against children.
“About 80% of countries have national plans of action and policies but only one-fifth have plans that are fully funded or have measurable targets,” she stated.
Henrietta also explained that “A lack of funding combined with inadequate professional capacity are likely contributing factors and a reason why implementation has been slow.’’
While speaking on the report, Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director General of World Health Organisation (WHO) said there is never any excuse for violence against children.
Ghebreyesus said, “We have evidence-based tools to prevent it, which we urge all countries to implement. Protecting the health and well-being of children is central to protecting our collective health and well-being, now and for the future.”
In his own contribution to the raging debate, Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, said the ongoing lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic led to a spike in violence, bullying and hate speech.
“Now, as schools begin to re-open, children are expressing their fears about going back to school.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that schools are safe environments for all children. We need to think and act collectively to stop violence at school and in our societies at large.
“Stay-at-home measures, including school closures have limited the usual sources of support for families and individuals such as friends, extended family or professionals.
“This further erodes victims’ ability to successfully cope with crises and the new routines of daily life. Spikes in calls to helplines for child abuse and intimate partner violence have been observed,” he stated.
At the concluding part of the novel report, the report maintained that confinement measures and the disrupted provision of already limited child protection services aggravated the exposure of children to various forms of violence.
“To respond to this crisis, unified child rights and multisectoral framework for action for children is critical requiring a strong mobilization of governments, bilateral/multilateral donors, civil society, private sector and children, whose views must be heard and truly taken into account to ensure duly protection and the possibility for all to thrive and reach their full potential,” the report concluded.
