UN-backed open letter - including signatories Gillian Anderson and Forest Whitaker - calls on governments to confront the alarming crisis of violence impacting 1 in 2 children worldwide

LONDON, Sept. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Survivors, experts and advocates from around the world are launching a global effort to tackle the shocking issue of violence against children.

They have today [17 September] released an open letter demanding urgent action from world leaders ahead of the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, taking place in Colombia this November.

Public figures including actors, creators and authors Calle & Poché, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson, Shudu Musida and Will Poulter have added their names to the letter, which has been coordinated by Project Everyone and is backed by the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.

According to World Health Organization figures, one in two of all children globally - over 1 billion - experience violence each year, from sexual abuse and gang violence to child marriage and child labour.

A number of survivors of childhood violence have joined the high-profile advocates, alongside leading experts like trauma specialist Bessel van der Kolk, child rights activists Hina Jilani and Princess Mabel van Oranje, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr Denis Mukwege.

By raising awareness, the letter seeks to inspire urgent action and drive change at both local and global levels. The group is calling on world leaders to use the upcoming Ministerial Conference to focus on critical strategies and to ensure response and support services are universally accessible to every child in need.

The powerful open letter calls on world leaders to attend the Colombia conference and commit concrete, innovative pledges that match the scale and severity of the crisis.

Evidence shows that with the right approaches, violence against children can be significantly reduced. Countries implementing evidence-based strategies can see reductions by up to 50%.

Dr. Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health at the World Health Organization, said:

“Half of all children are subject to cruel acts of violence every year, yet the issue does not receive the attention, funding, or political prioritisation it deserves. Evidence Demonstrates that violence against children can be prevented. Governments worldwide must now seize this crucial opportunity to make that change a reality for the 1 billion children on this planet who experience harm every year."

View the full letter HERE.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d27bb52e-4d96-4ac7-a7c8-47c20b28ac2c