Violence against children: worldwide alarm bells ring for our future!

Violence against children: worldwide alarm bells ring for our future!

The alarming numbers of the World Health Organization (WHO) are a wake -up call for society as a whole: hundreds of millions of children and adolescents worldwide are affected by violence. According to a report by the WHO, more than a billion underage violence in different forms, including physical and emotional abuse and sexual violence, experience more than a billion underage violence every year. It is particularly frightening that three out of five children and adolescents experience physical violence in their own four walls, while every fifth girl and every seventh young sexual assaults have to suffer, such as PZ-News reported.

This violence often takes place behind closed doors, and only half of the children affected talks about their experiences. Tragically, less than ten percent of them receive the necessary help. The consequences are devastating: depression, anxiety and an increased risk of drug and tobacco use are just a few of the lifelong effects that these children have to suffer. Many of them do not even achieve their full learning potential at school, which underlines the urgency of the problem.

global reactions and measures

The WHO has recognized the concerned Situation and calls for measures to combat this violence. At the first UN conference on violence against children in Bogotá, Colombia, more than 100 countries promised to act. The planned measures include the support of overwhelmed parents, the introduction of school programs against bullying and the increase in marriage age. Some countries have even announced to ban children in schools and at home.

"Although violence is actually avoidable, it remains a terrible daily reality for millions of children around the world that leaves the scars," said WHO boss Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. These words illustrate the urgency with which the international community has to act to protect the rights and well -being of the children.

The role of society

Society is required to stand up for the weakest. It is crucial that we work together as a community to create a safe environment for children. The information about the various forms of violence and the provision of resources for affected families are essential. This is the only way we can make sure that no child has to live in fear and receive the support it needs.

The WHO and the UN took the first step, but it is up to all of us to go on this way. The future of our children depends on how we act now. Let us ensure that violence against children no longer remains a taboo subject and that we create a world in which every child can grow up in safety and without fear, as well as PZ-News emphasized.