Child Protection & Participation

One year into the global hunger crisis response, we see conflict, climate change and the indirect impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to force millions of children to go without food daily. It is estimated that 10,000 children are dying of hunger each day. The soaring costs of food, fuel and fertilizer only exacerbate the problems families face.

Marginalized families and communities are forced to make difficult and dangerous choices that have far-reaching consequences for children’s well-being, now and in the future. These include engaging in begging, child labour, dropping out of school, sexual exploitation and child marriage as coping mechanisms for avoiding hunger. Fewer than 35 per cent of children are reported to have access to social protection systems, and because of this, families fall victim to these negative coping mechanisms to survive severe material deprivation.

While some progress has been made to prevent specific forms of violence against children, such as corporal punishment and trafficking, overall progress has stalled. Certain forms of violence against children—including domestic violence, child marriage, female genital mutilation and child labour—are likely to rise post-pandemic. In the face of the hunger crisis, four million girls were forced into early marriage to help their families in 2022—already an increase of almost 50 per cent in less than a year.

Data on violence against children remains poor, with many cases unreported or underreported. It is estimated that approximately one billion children between the ages of 2 and 17—half of all children in the world—experience physical, emotional or sexual violence every year.

For a third year, World Vision has surveyed forcibly displaced children and families about their experiences. In the 18 countries where we spoke to children and families this year, data showed that rising costs are causing households to not only skip meals but also take children out of school to work in order to make ends meet. This negatively affects children and their families in the long run, since global studies show that more years of schooling are likely to translate into additional income earned in the future.

Despite children’s desires to be active participants in their own lives and social spheres, they are often deprived of agency and influence over decisions that affect them, especially for girls. Across the board, girls are excluded from decision-making around food and nutrition, access to resources, and issues relating to their health, including sexual health. Enhancing women and girls’ participation and empowerment increases their protection, as they gain access to critical information on their risks, rights and needs. This allows them to support themselves and their community in tackling harmful social norms that perpetuate gender-based violence.

Children want their voices to be heard. Active engagement of children and young people in advocacy and campaigning is essential to promote policy reform, implementation, and monitoring. And we know that youth participation ensures better results for children, young people, and the entire population.