It is estimated that over one billion children between the ages of 2 and 17 have experienced violence. Violence against children occurs in every country, regardless of culture, socio-economic status, education, income, ethnicity and race.
Rising global risks are creating the conditions for the increased exposure of children to violence.
Today, children are not only at risk in physical spaces, but also online. As insecurity grows around the world, organized criminal and armed groups, including terrorist groups, are becoming more adept at targeting, recruiting and exploiting children.
And while the world is slowly coming to a consensus on the immediate dangers of climate change, there is little awareness of the impact of extreme climate events and forced displacement on children’s vulnerability to violence.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has supported more than 60 Member States in preventing and responding to violence against children and empowering children to become agents in their own protection since the launch of its Global Programme to End Violence against Children in 2015.
In 2023, UNODC and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC) joined forces to launch the'Strategy to End Violence Against Children 2023-2030'. This strategy serves as a vehicle topromote innovation, partnership and coordination; and ensure coherence and consistency in preventing and responding to crime and violence against children.
The vision behind the 'Strategy to End Violence against Children 2023-2030’ is that children all over the world are free from crime and violence.
The Strategy serves as a vehicle to ensure coherence in preventing and addressing serious forms of violence against children, while upholding child rights within broader development, rule of law, and security efforts in collaboration with UN entities. It follows - and contributes to the implementation of - the United Nations Secretary-General, Guidance Note on Child Rights Mainstreaming, July 2023.
Children have the potential to transform societal dynamics and to initiate and promote change. UNODC and the OSRSG-VAC are working together to build a peaceful, inclusive, and just society, in which the role of children is valued and their rights are respected.
Baghdad, Iraq, 13 November 2024 – The refurbishment of the Young Boys Rehabilitation School (Al-Rashad) in Baghdad was concluded at a handover ceremony attended by representatives of the Iraqi Government, international community and civil society.
The refurbishment of the reformatory was carried out as part of the project titled "STRIVE Juvenile: Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Children by Terrorist and Violent Extremist Groups" which is funded by the European Union and led by UNODC in partnership with the Government of Iraq. This initiative highlights the parties’ joint commitment to promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of children and young people deprived of their liberty by improving treatment and environments.
“Every success we achieve in rehabilitating and reintegrating a juvenile is a success for the protection of our society and ensuring of a better future for our children”, said Mr. Mohamed Radi Bahr, Director General of the Juvenile Care Directorate under the Ministry of Justice. “We strongly believe that the solution is in rehabilitation and reform, and not punishment and marginalization”.
Mosul, Iraq, 31 October 2024 – An important milestone has been marked in Iraq's journey toward supporting the rehabilitation and reintegration of children deprived of their liberty for alleged involvement with terrorist groups: the handover of the newly refurbished Ninawa Observation House, a juvenile reformatory in Mosul that hosts approximately 300 children and young people, was held on 30 October.
The handover ceremony was attended by high-level representatives of national and international partners including the Ministry of Justice; European Union (EU); United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and UN-Habitat. The event celebrated the conclusion of concerted efforts to improve the physical infrastructure of the reformatory; and to create a safe and supportive environment that is conducive to rehabilitation and reintegration.
UNODC and UNICEF premiered their first-ever paper series and advocacy brief during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), on 20 September in New York.
The discussion at the Science Summit focused on unlocking the science of adolescent brain development to promote effective policy and practice.
Social researchers from Baghdad and Mosul gathered between August 13 and 15, 2024 for a three-day workshop and discussions on their work with juveniles in observation houses and rehabilitation schools. These dedicated professionals have unique opportunities to nurture resilience and growth in very challenging environments. Their commitment demonstrates that even in the toughest conditions, humanity and hope can prevail.
The workshop "Psychosocial Assessments to Foster Successful Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Juveniles formerly associated with Terrorist Groups in Post-Trial Facilities in Iraq" was facilitated by UNODC’s STRIVE Juvenile team to tackle the urgent and complex issues regarding juveniles deprived of their liberty in the context of counter-terrorism.
In a nation where the narrative has long been shaped by terrorism, economic hardship, and violence, Nigeria’s young people are flipping the script.
Abuja, Nigeria: “There will be no peace when the child is in pieces.
”Yakura*, a young girl from Nigeria, is tired of being forgotten.
A member of Nigeria’s Youth Peace Champions (YPCs), she and 31 other dynamic young leaders are spearheading a new movement for child protection and community resilience through the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Nigeria is facing several peace and security challenges linked to poverty, non-state armed groups, climate change, and more. The poverty rate reached 38.9 per cent in 2023, while recent UNODC reports outline how terrorism and organized crime, from cultism, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling, and more are becoming a major driver of insecurity.
Coping with these issues would be hard enough for an adult. But children are particularly vulnerable to the long-term harms of conflict or violence – forced to endure the unendurable, compelled to grow up too fast.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Yakura and her fellow YPCs want to change the narrative for themselves and their peers by building resilience and tapping into the immense potential and creativity of a country where more than 110 million people are under the age of 18.
Jakarta, Indonesia – In response to the growing need for robust child protection in the context of counter-terrorism, UNODC partnered with Indonesia's National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) to host a pivotal Training of Trainers (ToT) event, from 6 to 9 August 2024, in Jakarta. This initiative brought together law enforcement professionals from across the nation, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to safeguard children's rights and well-being in challenging circumstances.
Safety and Support
The event served as a hub of knowledge and collaboration, bringing together law enforcement officials from across Indonesia. These participants, armed with international law guidance, the latest insights, and evidence-based best practices, left the training ready to become trainers themselves. Their commitment ensures that this crucial learning will be disseminated across the country, helping to protect every child who comes into contact with the law. Two follow-up training courses are planned to ensure the sustainability of this programme.
Blog By Dayan Farias Picon, UNODC Legal Officer of the END VAC Team, and Valerie Chmara, UNODC Psychosocial Specialist Support of the END VAC Team
Breaking the Silence: Understanding Corporal Punishment in Detention Facilities
Violence against children, including corporal punishment, is a silent disease often overlooked by society. Culturally accepted physical discipline is rooted in societal misconceptions. Sensationalized media and stigmatization of children - especially adolescents - lead to fears of rising child involvement in crime and violence and calls for harsher punitive measures. Only fragments of a larger problem are addressed.
When people think of violence against children, they tend to think of hitting, smacking, or spanking. However, corporal punishment may also involve kicking, shaking, scratching, and forced ingestion of harmful substances. These acts, frequently dismissed as minor, inflict severe physical and psychological harm.
Justice professionals often genuinely want to help children deprived of liberty, but believe that "tough" treatment including corporal punishment is necessary to correct behaviour. This view fails to recognize the continuous development that children and adolescents go through until their early 20s. Responses to problematic behaviours often involve 'safety,' 'securitized,' and 'zero tolerance' approaches that punish and exclude individuals, overtly or by omission. These disciplinary methods do not typically produce desired results because they are prohibitive rather than supportive of developmental needs such as curiosity, autonomy, and reduced hyperarousal that are served by risk-taking behaviour.
The Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) signed a Letter of Intent in Brasilia on 31 July 2024, which aims to bring together government, private sector and civil society actors to address joint efforts to eliminate violence against children and create a protective environment against drugs and crime.
Brazil is the first country to partner with the UNODC and commit to developing a strategy to protect children from drugs and crime. The agreement between the Brazilian Minister of Justice and UNODC aims to develop a multi-sectoral strategy to Eliminate Violence Against Children and to pilot the CHAMPS (Child Amplified Services of Prevention) initiative in Brazil.
The meeting, which was organised by the Ministry of Justice through the National Secretariat for Drug Policy (SENAD) and the Digital Rights Secretariat (SEDIGI), made it clear that drugs and crime pose a threat to peace and security and expose children to heightened risks of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, online threats, recruitment by organized crime groups, and child trafficking.
Inspired by the Global Strategy to End Violence against Children, launched by UNODC and the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children (OSRSG-VAC) in November 2023, the Brazilian government recognises that the risk and protective factors for children's involvement in drugs and crime are common.
On July 10, 2024, in New York, Delphine Schantz, UNODC Representative, attended the High-Level Political Forum 2024 Official Side Event titled "SDG16: Accelerating Progress to Achieve Justice for Children - Leveraging Insights to Close the Justice Gap."
In her address, Schantz highlighted pivotal moments and initiatives by the UNODC and the END VAC team to expedite achieving Justice for Children.
Watch a two-minute video of key messages, which includes the Strategy to End Violence Against Children, launched by the END VAC team in November 2023.
"What can we do about online child protection? What measures should we take to ensure that the cyberspace is a safe and protective environment for children?
'It's never too late to take action, reassess our strategies, and focus on impactful solutions,” states Alexandra Martins, Leader of the UNODC's End Violence Against Children (ENDVAC) team as she opens a discussion on the critical need for proactive measures to empower and protect children in the online sphere.
The rapid spread of misinformation, disinformation and hate speech in the world today represents a major threat to democracy, rule of law, development and peace.
As we navigate these turbulent waters, our discussions and strategies must evolve to reflect not only immediate risks but also the far-reaching implications these phenomena have on future generations.
Bali, Indonesia — From May 29 to 31, 2024, Indonesia’s National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) jointly organized a cross-regional event to promote children’s resilience to recruitment and exploitation by terrorist groups.
Urgent action requiredto protect children from terrorist tactics
Across the Indo-Pacific region, countries are facing the challengesof child associationwith terrorist groups. Children may be recruited at home, targeted online or follow their families to third countries. Regardless of the different circumstances, once associated with these groups, children are exposed to extreme violence and even death. The stigma and victimization faced by these children extend beyond their exit from the groups. Rejection by communities and even their own families make promoting reintegration into societya challenging task.
The event brought together experts, policymakers, and practitioners from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Maldives and the Philippines to discuss approaches, share experience and highlight the importance of this issue on the global and regional agenda.
"Children play a crucial role in fostering inclusiveness, dialogue, and peace,” said Harsha Sirur, First Secretary at the Canadian Embassy in Indonesia. “Their safety is our collective responsibility. By ensuring that they can thrive and express themselves, we diminish the breeding ground for terrorism.”
The study has seven key findings:
“As a compassionate and responsible society, it is our duty to approach this issue with empathy and understanding, and to ensure that these vulnerable children receive the care and support they need to move forward from their experiences,” said Andhik Chrisnayudhanto, Deputy Head for International Cooperation, National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), opening STRIVE Juvenile Indonesia’s fourth Project Coordination Meeting on 14 December 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
High-level national representatives from the security, child protection, justice and development sectors, as well as civil society gathered to celebrate and discuss three years of persistent efforts and achievements.
The meeting was led by BNPT and co-chaired by the European Union; and marked an important step in Indonesia’s efforts to prevent and respond to violence against children by terrorist and violent extremist groups.
All over the world, children are recruited and exploited by armed and organized criminal groups, including those designated as terrorist groups. Regardless of the groups’ labels, during their association, children in these contexts are exposed to insecurity and extreme levels of violence, including neglect and psychological violence.
The sexual abuse of children is a serious form of violence against children, and it is reviled in every country in the world. The creation, publication and repeated distribution of images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is also a crime in virtually every jurisdiction. CSAM is both a consequence of and fuel for further abuse.
UNODC, in partnership with the Government of the United Kingdom, convened an expert group meeting in Vienna on 26-27 June 2023. The objectives of the meeting were to discuss some of the gaps and limitations in current approaches to the problem and to formulate new ways to accomplish the twin goals of removal of CSAM images online, linked to a comprehensive strategy to prevent the re-upload of known CSAM.
The meeting brought together experts in their individual capacities. Participants included child protection and criminal justice experts, academics, representatives of civil society organizations, the private sector and financial institutions.
The Vienna expert group meeting on CSAM removal will produce a chair’s summary and overview and follow up on any recommendations that might be announced.
UNODC-UNICEF-Save the Children and Wilton Park report on the impact of adversity, violence and trauma on adolescent brain development.
Our youth leaders invite you to explore the intersection and interdependence of storytelling, brain science and peacebuilding for overall societal well-being. Will you listen?
Protecting children from crime and violence, online and offline, for a safer future
"Stories of Resilience": A documentary showcasing the youth-led awareness raising campaign implemented under the STRIVE Juvenile Project in Borno State, Nigeria.
The Nigeria Call for Action and the campaign 'Give peace a chance!
4million+ people reached with messages on peace and child protection / 20+ guests / 13 sessions.
Tune into the radio series overview!
To ensure efficient and effective protection for children, the UNODC Global Programme to End Violence Against Children emphasizes close inter-agency cooperation. By partnering with key UN entities and representatives from regional and international organizations, we work together to avoid overlapping mandates and duplication of efforts. This united approach leverages the strengths of each partner, creating a cohesive and powerful network dedicated to ending violence against children.
Together, we're building a safer, brighter future for the world's children.
