How can we keep kids safe with only $0.09 of U.S. foreign assistance budgeted towards child wellbeing?
26th September 2024By:
Daniela Ligiero Chief Executive Officer & President, Together for Girls
Chrissy Hart Director of Policy & Advocacy; Regional Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa,
Together for Girls
Despite making up a large portion of the global population, data collected by First Focus shows that only around $0.09 out of every dollar of the U.S. foreign assistance budget is allocated towards children. Concerningly, children represent significantly less than 10% of foreign assistance funding and 1% of the total federal budget.
When we stand up for human rights, when we stand up for justice it influences how other governments think about and invest in these issues. However, US government investment in foreign assistance is decreasing.
Among these gaps in investments in children, is the need for continued funding for the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS). Although these have been exclusively funded through PEPFAR, there are no commitments to implement any future VACS.
To ensure the continued leadership and influence of the U.S. in the prevention of and response to violence against children globally, we are requesting at least $10million in funding to support VACS directed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to meet the demand across a more comprehensive geographic range of implementation relevant to U.S. foreign assistance priorities.
Fifteen years of investments in VACS globally have catalyzed real impact for children, adolescents, and youth
With support from the U.S. government, every country that has undergone a VACS and the associated multi-sector Data to Action process has implemented policy and programmatic changes for children and VAC prevention and response.
Countries like Kenya and Eswatini have subsequently seen significant reductions in childhood violence and have documented more than 50% and 80% reductions in different forms of sexual violence against girls respectively.
Significant reductions in violence for Kenya and Eswatini after engaging in the Data to Action process:
These successes underscore the need for a comprehensive, whole-child approach to U.S. foreign assistance as well as the need for a whole-of-government approach to address issues impacting children.
New commitments from UN Member States to prioritize safe childhoods
The inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children marks a historic moment in the global fight against violence impacting children. Convening ministers from UN Member States around the globe, it presents a unique opportunity to catalyze global action, secure new commitments from UN Member States, and accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure that every child lives free from all forms of violence.
The United States has established itself as a global leader in improving protections for children from exploitation and violence and its continued leadership is necessary now more than ever to build the resources and capacity of countries to champion both the problems and solutions to ending violence against children.
The time is now: Breaking the cycles of violence and investing in a life course approach to child well-being
Countries that invest in their own children’s health, education and safety, have less conflict, less instability, and less violent extremism. Every single indicator whether it's economic, development, or peace and security, is improved when there are investments in children.
We know that kids who experience violence in childhood, and witness violence in childhood, are much more likely to perpetrate violence later on in their lives. And these cycles of violence continue and affect not only families and communities, but entire nations.
U.S. foreign assistance to low and middle income countries around the world helps them to make those investments in children, to ensure that those investments are happening at national level. As a result, we are investing in the health, safety and education of all children, globally.
Data from the VACS show that children experience different vulnerabilities throughout childhood, adolescence, and youth and demonstrates the interconnectedness of the issues they face (such as socio-economic status, food security, access to water, education, physical and mental health, security) so we know that a whole-child, life course approach to child well-being is critical.
In a year when violence against children, adolescents, and youth is on the global agenda, it is critical to maintain momentum on what we know works and will drive work on child and youth well-being forward.