United Nations: UNICEF on Wednesday launched a new initiative on violence against children, calling on the international community to speak out against it. The 'End Violence Against Children' initiative seeks to build on growing popular outrage following attacks against children, including the 2012 shooting of then 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai in Pakistan, the fatal shooting of 26 pupils and teachers in Newtown in US and gangrapes in India and South Africa.
Expressing concern that the violence against children is often unseen and unreported, the United Nations Children's Fund Executive Director Anthony Lake said: "In every country, in every culture, there is violence against children." "Whenever and wherever children are harmed, our outrage and anger must be seen and heard. We must make the invisible visible," he added.
The latest initiative urges people around the world to recognise violence against children. The initiative was unveiled today with a video narrated by UNICEF goodwill ambassador and actor Liam Neeson.
A special website and a social media campaign will outline ways for children, parents and communities to take action against the violence and support the victims. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some 150 million girls and 73 million boys under 18 years experienced sexual violence and exploitation, and an estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked every year, according to a 2005 report by the International Labor Organization (ILO).
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