The inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children will be a vital opportunity to bring violence against children to the forefront of the international agenda.
Washington, D.C., May 15, 2024 – Together for Girls and The Brave Movement have welcomed the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, on November 7-8, 2024, in Bogotá, Colombia, as an unprecedented chance to ensure every child in the world is safe.
Hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Sweden, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the United Nations Special Representative to the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children (SRSG VAC), this landmark event will bring together ministers, high-level policymakers, civil society organizations and activists committed to creating a safer world for children.
This conference will be a vital opportunity to bring violence against children to the forefront of the international agenda by securing new political and financial commitments, launching innovative initiatives and building new partnerships.
"We are honored to participate in The Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children. This conference is crucial, shedding light on an issue that demands collective action. Sexual violence against children has continued for far too long, and it is time to put an end to it. Our joint efforts aim to provide survivors a platform for their voices to be heard, for them to feel empowered and also to shape policies and laws that safeguard children. We are grateful to The Global Ministerial Conference for the opportunity to come together in our mission to build a world where every child is free from sexual violence," said Dr. Daniela Ligiero, CEO of Together for Girls and co-founder of the Brave Movement.
Together for Girls and The Brave Movement have also begun advocacy efforts, which include high-level events in Washington, DC and London to raise awareness among policymakers for this critical cause and are calling for commitment by governments to prevent and end violence against children in their nations through evidence-based programming that includes and elevates survivor voices, leadership and expertise.
Both organizations will continue to be involved once the conference begins. Together for Girls will unveil new data on the global prevalence of childhood sexual violence. Inspired by the 1 in 3 women figure, this new number will for the first time, provide a single, global figure measuring how many boys and girls experience childhood sexual violence in their lifetime.
During the conference, The Brave Movement will contribute to creating and launching a new roadmap to ending childhood sexual violence, developed in partnership with survivor leaders and policymakers.
1 billion children have experienced sexual, physical, or emotional violence in the past year alone. Violence against children and adolescents remains a global pandemic. Despite efforts made at the national level, we still lack a global and coordinated approach to preventing and addressing violence against children.
Between now and the Global Ministerial Conference, Together for Girls and the Brave Movement will stage a series of events, launches and campaigns, aimed at increasing its visibility and impact.
About Together for Girls
Ending violence against children cannot be solved by a single actor or sector alone.Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Active in over 20 countries, Together for Girls unites actors that often do not work together, including national governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, civil society, and survivors. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice.
About the Brave Movement
Hosted by Together for Girls, the Brave Movement is a survivor-led global movement campaigning to end childhood sexual violence. It is led by 14 powerful survivors and allied partners. It is demanding bold and transformative action to mobilize billions for programs focused on prevention, healing and justice worldwide, abolish statutes of limitation in every nation, and create a safer internet for children.
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