Together for Girls welcomes the outcome of the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children and celebrates its Guinness World Records ™ ratification.
We welcome the 101 national government pledges and call on governments to ensure they Break The Record of inaction by delivering on them. We also celebrate the US$125 million commitment by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation to ending violence against children over the next five years.
8 November, Bogotá – The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children has been hailed as “A landmark on the journey to making all children safe” by Together for Girls CEO and Brave Movement founder, Dr Daniela Ligiero.
Speaking at the end of the two-day Conference in Bogota, Colombia, Dr Ligiero said:
“For the first time, we have seen governments from around the whole world come together with one aim - to end violence against children. We are all impatient to see that day, but it is now one we can truly believe will be reached. If the level of political will demonstrated here in Bogota is sustained, if governments back up their new commitments with energy and resources, and if donors play their part in supporting initiatives we know work, finally we can see a world where every child is safe.”
119 governments, and over 1000 multi-stakeholder delegates, were represented at the Conference, setting an official Guinness World Record ™ for the most countries ever at such an event.
Dr Ligiero said: “Breaking this record is a wonderful achievement for a landmark conference. Now we need to ensure we also break the record of inaction on violence against children, especially sexual violence. In order to do that, we must keep mobilizing and campaigning. As activists, it’s our job to hold those in power to account on the promises they have made this week.”
Standout achievements from the Global Ministerial conference include:
101 national government pledges on preventing violence against children
A US$125m commitment by The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation to ending violence against children over the next five years.
23 government pledges on online safety, recognising this escalating crisis.
Survivor recognition with members of the Global Survivor Council, speaking across the Conference and side events, and with pledges by countries to set up sustainable survivor consultation in future policy development.
Pledges on ending childhood sexual violence from countries Together for Girls and the Brave Movement had lobbied ahead of the conference, including Kenya, Honduras, France, the United Kingdom, and Nigeria.
Global Survivor Council and Brave Movement member Lydia Matioli, who addressed the opening session of the Conference, said: “Survivors of child sexual violence have been seen and heard here in Bogota, now we need to make sure survivors are also part of the process of accountability. Our lived experience is vital in being able to say how far we have come, and what still needs to be done. That is why every government should commit to forming a national survivor council, as we build a safe future for our children.”
Press contact
Marek Pruszewicz – Director of Communications, Together for Girls: [email protected], +44 7740 631769.