'Every 4 minutes, a child is killed by an act of violence'

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Every four minutes, somewhere in the world, a child dies from an act of violence...

This disturbing statistic was made known by the UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, which published global findings on how widespread is violence against children.

UNICEF's statement comes as world leaders, civil society, advocates, survivors, and young people gather for the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children taking place this week in Bogotá, Colombia.

Convened by the Government of Colombia, with the support of the Government of Sweden, UNICEF, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, and the World Health Organization, the Ministerial Conference aims to promote policies, move resources, and demonstrate that it is possible to prevent and eradicate the different forms of violence against children.

While it detailed in a statement how millions are affected globally each year by the phenomenon, it likewise evidenced that some 90 million children alive today have experienced sexual violence. 

Greater risks for girls

Specifically, it states, 650 million girls and women, representing one in five alive today, were subjected to sexual violence as children.

This includes, it noted, over 370 million, marking about 1 in 8, who experienced rape or sexual assault.

In fragile settings, it points out, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than one in four.

It adds that nearly 50 million adolescent girls aged 15-19, representing one in six, have been victims of physical or sexual violence by their husbands or partners in the past year.

Moreover, it states that 410 to 530 million boys and men, which is around one in seven, experienced sexual violence in childhood, including 240 to 310 million, who were raped or sexually assaulted.

Domestic violence

In addition, it highlights that 1.6 billion children, which UNICEF decries is about two out of three children, "regularly face violent punishment at home."

"More than two thirds are subjected to both physical punishment and psychological aggression," it states, while deploring that violence takes the lives, on average, of about 130,000 children and adolescents under age 20 each year. 

Risk of death higher for boys

The findings also reveal that boys face a higher risk of dying from violence.

It shows that three out of every four children and adolescents killed by violence were boys. 

Illustrating that the risk of dying from violence rises sharply in late adolescence, it notes that  7 in 10 children who died from violence were between the ages of 15 and 19 and most of them boys. 

Finally, the UN Children's Fund notes that close to 550 million children, around one in four, live with mothers who are victims of intimate partner violence.

Invest in prevention to break the cycle

Given this reality, UNICEF calls the ministerial conference "a pivotal opportunity." 

Specifically, to work to provide more safety for children worldwide, they call for efforts to provide universal access to parenting support programmes that promote nurturing care; a universal provision of safe and enabling school environments; and lastly, a targeted response, and support services for all children who need them.

According to UNICEF's Director of Child Protection, Sheema SenGupta, “By investing in prevention, education, and support services, we can break the cycle of violence and build a world where children are safe.”