Regional Campaign to End Violence Against Children launched in Sri Lanka

A regional campaign to end violence against children in the Asia Pacific region was launched in Sri Lanka with the Secretary to the Ministry of Child Affairs in Sri Lanka Chandrani Senarathne as Chief Guest, supported by World Vision and a host of collaborative organisations who have bought into this global challenge.  Leaders from Sri Lanka’s multiple faiths joined over 120 participants at the conference in a bid to examine their role to end violence against children in a roundtable, while a separate panel featured youth leaders from Sri Lanka, Philippines, Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar in intense discussion.

In her address, Chief Guest Ministry Secretary Chandrani Senarathne said, “Sri Lanka is a “Pathfinder Country” (a leader in the movement to end violence) in the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children, adding that Sri Lanka launched its National Partnership to End Violence Against Children (NPEVAC) in June 2017.  ““It was launched as part of a bold, new collaborative partnership with key stakeholders including the government, UN agencies, international organizations, civil society, faith groups, the private sector, the media, children and other key stakeholders.  We are honoured to reaffirm the message to end violence against children, starting here at home.”

The Guest of honour attending the launch was the Director General of the South Asia Initiative to End Violence Against Children, (SAIEVAC)  Dr. Rinchen Chophel.

Based on the theme, “It takes a world to end violence against children”, World Vision rolled out this campaign with partners across 17 countries in Asia Pacific, focusing on ending child marriage, sexual abuse, child trafficking, child labour, physical violence in schools and the home and corporal punishment. World Vision’s Advocacy and Justice for Children Director in East Asia Abid Gulzar addressing the opening session said, “Asia carries the fatal (or tragic) mantle of having one of the world’s highest rates of violence inflicted on children.  We’re at a tipping point to save more children, but it’s not enough to change policies. We need to change hearts and minds. And for most people worldwide, that journey starts with faith.”

According to the World Vision campaign publication, Asia Pacific has one of the highest rates of violence against children in the world with about 64% of children between 2 to 17 years experiencing violence over the past year. Globally, South Asia has the highest prevalence of child marriage and tops child labour cases in the world. In East Asia, nearly three out of every four children experience violent discipline

The global launch was held in March 2017 leading Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Mongolia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam to begin lobbying support from governments, partner agencies, and even youth/children and community members to end violence against children. This campaign contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.2 to “end the abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children”.

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Media contact: Samantha Lindsay – Senior Manager Public Engagement on +94-772 960352

About World Vision Asia Pacific

In the Asia Pacific region, World Vision works in 17 countries in nearly 600 project areas, serving 1.25 million children who are sponsored by donors, along with their families and larger communities.