Violence against children costs the world 7 trillion dollars

A global research report released ahead of the post-2015 agenda has indicated that, children are clear that violence perpetrated against them must be part of the new global agenda. The study commissioned by ChildFund Alliance and conducted by Overseas Development Institute (ODI), reveals that the total costs of physical, psychological and sexual violence committed against children globally, cost up to 7 trillion dollars a year. Mr. William Anim-Dankwa Communications Officer of Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) who made this revelation at a press conference at Sagnarigu said the estimate is based on previous research on costs of violence against children in high and middle-income countries.  Mr. Williams said the research also estimates that, the global cost of children forced to work in hazardous conditions, which deprives them of their livelihood, amounts to more than 97 billion dollars every year; and that the annual costs of children being recruited by armed forces and groups are 144 million dollars. According to him, the research is adding to the weight that governments need to ensure that violence against children is addressed in their new global agenda, which children around the world are calling for world leaders to do.  The ChildFund Alliance conducted over 50 consultations with children in 40 countries across Africa, Asia Pacific, the Americas and Europe including Ghana. This study of over 2,300 individual children collected their views, aspirations and priorities for the post 2015 agenda. The Ghana consultations involved children from Savelugu, Kanvili and Gburimani in the Northern Region. In 82% of all participating countries, the study reveals that, children want prevention of violence and exploitation to be one of the new priorities for the years following 2015, and made specific calls for ending bullying, child labour, child marriage, child trafficking, corporal punishment, female genital mutilation and cutting, recruitment of children solders and violence in schools. 

Source: Saaka Alhassan