Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Forest Whitaker, UN Leaders, and Advocates Unite in New York to End Violence Against Children at UN General Assembly Event
NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, along with UN agency heads and distinguished dignitaries, gathered in New York on September 22 to meet with survivors and advocates working to end violence against children. The event coincided with the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79).
Hosted by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), and organized by Project Everyone, this intimate gathering featured testimonies from survivors and reflections from global leaders. Attendees included officials from Sweden, Colombia, Zimbabwe, Georgia, Canada, Iceland, Brazil, and the UK.
The event took place just days after the release of an open letter (September 17, 2024) from survivors, advocates, and allies, urging world leaders to take swift action to end violence against children. This call to action precedes the inaugural Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, to be held in Colombia this November.
Signatories of the open letter, including public figures Forest Whitaker, Shudu Musida, and Will Poulter, were present at the event, which reinforced the importance of immediate action.
According to the WHO, half of the world’s children—over 1 billion—experience violence annually. This violence takes many forms, including corporal punishment, bullying, online abuse, gang violence, child marriage, and child labor.
Experts highlight that breakthrough solutions are available, including parenting support, school-based programs, child-friendly health and social services, protective legislation, and safer online environments. Implementing these strategies has been shown to reduce violence against children by up to 50%.
Will Poulter, actor and ambassador for The Diana Award’s anti-bullying program, served as Master of Ceremonies and shared a poignant message:
“Violence takes many forms—both physical and psychological—and each leaves a lasting impact. With one billion children experiencing violence worldwide, the numbers are staggering. But behind the statistics are real lives, and it’s our collective responsibility to protect these children.”
