Every child deserves safety, yet millions face violence daily. An estimated 1 billion children—half of all the children in the world—are victims of violence every year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. With the recently concluded first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the United States (U.S.) has a historic chance to turn the tide.
Right now, the stakes could not be higher for millions of adolescent girls and young women. Sustained funding for PEPFAR means extending a lifeline by accessing services to help them heal and thrive, pursuing education while living HIV-free lives.
Survivor advocates and allied leaders convened in Washington, DC to call on the White House and Members of Congress to ensure access to prevention, healing, and justice and draw attention to the silent scourge of sexual violence against children and adolescents in the U.S. and globally.